Obama's simple message to Republicans about the Debt Limit...

It really is this simple:

WaPo: But the White House doesn't see an increase in the debt limit as something that the Republicans are giving them. As Obama put it in his news conference: "Paying America's bills is not a concession to me. That's not doing me a favor."

Republicans committed to Safety Net Destruction, yet still get voter support. How?

Funny thing: When the Republicans are in total control, we’re told “it’s the will of the people” and the Democrats need to sit this one out.

But when the Democrats are in charge, like in the Senate and White House, Republicans are saying to hell with the “will of the people.” The Republican minority doesn't really care, and are instead, demanding we dramatically reduce safety net spending or else they’ll hold the countries debt limit hostage…again. As Think Progress put it:

...the GOP has shifted from demanding dollar-for-dollar immediate spending cuts and is now focusing on drafting a range of options to significantly restructure mandatory benefit programs.

The public favors the Democratic plans for our social safety nets, yet Republicans are not giving up on targeting them for big cuts, as if those reductions will be large enough to “save the country.”

In this amazing list below, it’s hard for me to imagine how voters would allow such a ruthless policy to be taken seriously, when Republicans are giving away the farm so to speak, to big business:

Think Progress: For a long-term deal, Obama would have to agree to premium support. The plan to privatize Medicare, perhaps the most controversial aspect of the Ryan budget, is the holy grail for conservatives who say major deficit-reduction can only be achieved by making this type of cut to mandatory spending. “If the president wants to go big, there’s a big idea,” said Rep. Steve Scalise, chairman of the Republican Study Committee.

For a medium-sized increase in the debt-limit, Republicans want Obama to agree to cut spending in the SNAP food stamp program, block-grant Medicaid, or tinker with chained CPI.

For a smaller increase, there is talk of means-testing Social Security, for example, or ending certain agricultural subsidies.

I will say it again; make Republican itemize in detail, every cut they want to make, graded by the CBO.

Then we can talk to the American public about the choices.

So what could happen if Republican play games with the debt ceiling?

The simple truth is, the debt ceiling allows the government to pay it's bills on money already spent.

Freeloading Republicans want to stop payment, stiff Uncle Sam and the rest of the world. They've already cost the nation $19 billion in higher borrowing costs, what's a few extra percentage points.

While the Republicans boldly lie about what the debt ceiling means, Ezra Klein cuts through that massive misinformation campaign to explain how bad things could get.

It could fulfill the Republicans dream of breaking the back of government once and for all though:

McCain and Graham play chicken with Global Economy: "Most of us have pledged...before we vote again on debt ceiling, even at great political cost..." Can you say "uncertainty?"

Sen. Mitch McConnell’s first term threat is over. Goodbye to Obama’s one term presidency.

The new second term threat? I'll let Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham pass along their own  most outrageous strategy. Watch Graham smile like a Cheshire cat and see other Republicans misread intentionally who's actually spending all the money:



They’re not going to raise the debt ceiling. Hmm, I wonder if that creates a feeling of uncertainty, the very problem Republicans have been harping about for 4 years. This graphic says it all:

So why is Social Security and Medicare being blamed?

The media is just fine perpetuating this false premise, by not correcting it. I screen captured this Politico story below, which shows you exactly what I mean:

Is it the president or congress dragging out these deadlines? Congress, right?

So why do we continue to accept this level of BS from guys like Sen. Cornyn?

Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican: “It may be necessary to partially shut down the government in order to secure the long-term fiscal well-being of our country, rather than plod along the path of Greece, Italy and Spain. President Obama needs to take note of this reality and put forward a plan to avoid it immediately.”

Greece isn't anything like the U.S., so that’s a distraction; it’s the work of the Senate and House that matters, not the position of the president. Congress needs to work as the “legislative branch” of government. That’s their job. What they produce is sent off to the “executive branch,” for the president’s signature. Waiting for the president to draft legislation is not the duty of the executive branch.

The Senate and House need to fulfill their constitutional duties, and stop blaming the president.

GOP Plan=Global Financial Crisis with Recession. What's not to like?

Republicans are talking about a doomsday plan that might be there best idea yet. A global financial crisis combined with a recession...that's the plan. No, really.

That's how much they want power. Here's Ezra Klein to map it out: