The Sequester

[astralis]

doktor,

So not dale is in agreement with Obama, but Asty is in agreement with dale, too?

no.

dale's assertion is that the sequester is exactly what obama wanted. dale is okay with the sequester. i just pointed out that IF THIS IS TRUE (and I don't think the first part is), then dale and obama agree on something. :)

i am not OK with the sequester, thus i disagree with dale. but -that- part isn't surprising.

[Doktor]

I am lost.

So not dale is in agreement with Obama, but Asty is in agreement with dale, too?

Where is this world going to?

[astralis]

dale,

"This is exactly what I wanted, exactly what I demanded months ago in exchange for tax hikes, and now I will lie my pig ass off about it in front of everyone to try and blame those eeeeeeevil Republicans that I hate."

well, funny thing is that republicans WANT to own this, at least a certain part whom think the sequester is perfectly acceptable-- including you.

so if you really think that this is exactly what obama wanted-- well, here's news for you-- probably first time you agreed with him on anything, with OBL's death being perhaps the only exception...:)

[snapper]

Watch out for some more dodgy IMF 'forecasts' going on here... The sequestration, which amounts to a reduction in spending of 2.4% overall (although only around 1% this year) predicts that this will cut US growth by 'at least 0.5%' this year. This is based on what the IMF calls the 'fiscal multiplier'. The IMF originally predicted that the Greek economy would contract by the exact same amount; for every 1% of spending cuts the economy shrinks 0.5%. They have since had to re-estimate this 'fiscal multiplier' for Greece three times. The current 'model' predicts that in Greece a 1% reduction in spending shrinks the economy by 1.2%. I suspect that the IMF forecast for the US will be nearer the mark though as the Fed is pumping in $85bn worth of QE every month, which will allow Obama to spend more on some 'social programme' or other since he is no longer allowed to spend it on the military. Come the next 'stimulus package' expect to see this invented money spent on gay single fathers or some such.

I sympathise with the those wabbits who are getting hit by these 'cuts' (though really spending is still increasing just not as much). The UK armed services have been hit too and all British civil servants have had three years of pay freezes - which means a cut in real terms as inflation is running at 2.7%. At the same time our Government is busy increasing overseas aid! For sure the deficits and debts need to be addressed but to me it seems wrong to cut spending on defence and pay for those who serve others while (in the UK's case) giving more money to people abroad!

Sadly for us all I fear this is just the start and we are fighting off an inevitable default in the medium to long term. I hope that when this happens the central banks, which have directly contributed to our crony capitalism and bubble economics, will be abolished.

[dalem]

I'll translate Chimpy McObamaHitler's words:

"This is exactly what I wanted, exactly what I demanded months ago in exchange for tax hikes, and now I will lie my pig ass off about it in front of everyone to try and blame those eeeeeeevil Republicans that I hate."

Press-chorus: "We are the chorus, and we agree, we agree."

-dale

[Minskaya]

For Immediate Release - February 28, 2013

Statement from the President

Today, Republicans in the Senate faced a choice about how to grow our economy and reduce our deficit. And instead of closing a single tax loophole that benefits the well-off and well-connected, they chose to cut vital services for children, seniors, our men and women in uniform and their families. They voted to let the entire burden of deficit reduction fall squarely on the middle class.

I believe we should do better. We should work together to reduce our deficit in a balanced way – by making smart spending cuts and closing special interest tax loopholes. That’s exactly the kind of plan Democrats in the Senate have proposed. But even though a majority of Senators support this approach, Republicans have refused to allow it an up-or-down vote – threatening our economy with a series of arbitrary, automatic budget cuts that will cost us jobs and slow our recovery.

Tomorrow I will bring together leaders from both parties to discuss a path forward. As a nation, we can’t keep lurching from one manufactured crisis to another. Middle-class families can’t keep paying the price for dysfunction in Washington. We can build on the over $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction we’ve already achieved, but doing so will require Republicans to compromise. That’s how our democracy works, and that’s what the American people deserve.

Source: WhiteHouse.gov

[Bigfella]

JAD

It started before that when 1) we fought 2 wars on a credit card and 2) we broke down years of bank and financial oversight which broke the very important protections to our economy provided by Glass-Stiegel.

I have an Aussie friend who married a yank & is now a proud Noo Yawker. During the financial crisis he had printed & proudly wore a t-shirt that said 'Glass-Steagall Motherf**ker'. Got quite a few laughs.

[Albany Rifles]

JAD

It started before that when 1) we fought 2 wars on a credit card and 2) we broke down years of bank and financial oversight which broke the very important protections to our economy provided by Glass-Stiegel.

[silentsam]

You have had 2 WABbers on this board already tell you we are being directly impacted.

That is a 20% cut in my salary,..

Make that at least three. I am a minimalist, so it won't hurt as much as some, but it won't be fun. As for how long, I would guess the full 22 weeks...and then more arbitrary cuts next year. We need to reduce waste, not this pointless cutting.

[bigross86]

Let's get real, though, when's the last time any message from the voters to the politicians was ever heard clearly?

[JAD_333]

The worse part of all this is the perception that all of a sudden we're going to hell in a hand basket. The reality is, we were headed that way a couple of years ago when we started wracking up huge deficits to stimulate the economy.

The Democrats think the Republicans ought to go along with what Obama wants because he got a mandate from voters at the last election to solve the country's economic problems. That's total nonsense. First of all, Obama didn't win the election on the strength of his economic record, but in spite of it. And second, more voters went for Republicans in the last Congressional elections than Democrats. Inasmuch as the real power to spend and tax rests with Congress, the message seems clear.

[Doktor]

Don't forget the originality.:wors:

[Albany Rifles]

But its fun to see the variety of answers!

[Doktor]

When you give a homework, you should know the answers.

Imagine all the answers the Scouts will come with in their homeworks... :slap:

[Albany Rifles]

As for the suggestion, what is the procedure for citizens to recall them all?

I am not sure.

I am conducting a Citizenship In The Nation Merit Badge class for the local Boy Scout Council on Saturday.

Maybe I will give that as a homework assignment!!!