Who's Responsible for the Possible Gov't Shutdown?

[Curious]

from http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/201 ... own-debate

"[senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell and Republicans want to continue current spending at $986.7 billion and leave untouched the new round of cuts in January, commonly known as sequester, that would reduce the amount to $967 billion," the AP reports. "Democrats want to figure out a way to undo the reductions, plus a long-term extension of the debt limit increase and a short-term spending bill to reopen the government."

Sequestration did not devastate the economy...we are now 10 months into those cuts. Neither side projections of gloom and doom came to pass. Why would the Dems want to undo reductions that have taken place?

Probably because they put people out of work and reduced things like head start slots, among other things.

[J'ean Skirt]

Probably because they put people out of work and reduced things like head start slots, among other things.

It didn't devastate the economy, but it did slow the recovery. Most of the recent job losses are in the public sector. If the public sector wasn't shedding jobs, we'd be in much better shape in terms of unemployment.

[pattygbucks]

I think almost everyone agrees, spending needs reduced...the argument is WHAT spending should be reduced. Well..that one can be debated all day...and get nowhere. IMO, Sequestration, although not as good as thoughtful reductions, are better than no reduction at all.

[J'ean Skirt]

I think almost everyone agrees, spending needs reduced...the argument is WHAT spending should be reduced. Well..that one can be debated all day...and get nowhere. IMO, Sequestration, although not as good as thoughtful reductions, are better than no reduction at all.

Not everyone agrees that govt spending should be reduced.

A number of economists, including Nobel Prize winners, support increased spending during a recession. The government spending counteracts the decrease in private spending, keeping the economy afloat until business can once again drive economic growth through private investment.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keynesian_economics and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Krugman

[Curious]

A few more things that are not being done during the govt shutdown:

CDC is no longer tracking illness like the flu

The Safety Administration is no longer doing auto inspections

On a lesser scale, the White House Rose Garden is no longer being maintained and is being overrun with weeds and wildlife. That isn't that big of a deal, in the big scheme, however the food that is grown there is no longer being picked and is rotting rather than being picked and donated to food banks or soup kitchens (I'm not sure where they donate the food to, but it is donated somewhere).

[CallmeChaCha]

A few more things that are not being done during the govt shutdown:

CDC is no longer tracking illness like the flu

The Safety Administration is no longer doing auto inspections

On a lesser scale, the White House Rose Garden is no longer being maintained and is being overrun with weeds and wildlife. That isn't that big of a deal, in the big scheme, however the food that is grown there is no longer being picked and is rotting rather than being picked and donated to food banks or soup kitchens (I'm not sure where they donate the food to, but it is donated somewhere).

Such a waste of food! The Social Security Administration isn't issuing new/replacement cards. Imagine those people who need a card to get a job but can't get one, so they can't get the job. This is hurting everyone. At least when Arnold Schwarzenegger furloughed California state employees he claimed to want to save the state money (asshole), but these federal furloughs have NO point.

[PennySycamore]

I think almost everyone agrees, spending needs reduced...the argument is WHAT spending should be reduced. Well..that one can be debated all day...and get nowhere. IMO, Sequestration, although not as good as thoughtful reductions, are better than no reduction at all.

NOPE! We ought to pay more in taxes, beginning with the 1% and those damn corporations that get away with paying not a gooddamn dime in taxes. The poor and the middle class should not bear most of the tax burden of running this country.

[LeopardLady]

NOPE! We ought to pay more in taxes, beginning with the 1% and those damn corporations that get away with paying not a gooddamn dime in taxes. The poor and the middle class should not bear most of the tax burden of running this country.

^This!

[GolightlyGrrl]

^This!

THIS TO INFINITY!!!!!!

Ooh, look VP Daddy Joe is bringin' da muffinz!

http://gawker.com/vice-president-joe-bi ... 1447034418

[2xx1xy1JD]

I've watched it about 10 times now and laugh every time. I had never seen/heard the original song so I had to go find that one after I saw it. I actually like the song and the lyrics on the parody are amazing, IMO.

The scene at the very end with Obama looking through the window is the best. He's so horrified.

As an unrelated aside, after watching Miley's 2 new videos (We Can't Stop and Wrecking Ball (I liked both songs), I honestly didn't think they were that much worse than anything Madonna or Britney did during the height of their careers when they were new/cutting edge).

The SNL parody was brilliant. Just brilliant.

Miley may have gotten tons of flack for being self-destructive, but these guys took that self-destructive, eff you mindset and brought the entire country to the brink of disaster.

[pattygbucks]

NOPE! We ought to pay more in taxes, beginning with the 1% and those damn corporations that get away with paying not a gooddamn dime in taxes. The poor and the middle class should not bear most of the tax burden of running this country.

Feel free to do so. https://www.pay.gov/paygov/forms/formIn ... d=23779454

[flubber]

Not everyone agrees that govt spending should be reduced.

A number of economists, including Nobel Prize winners, support increased spending during a recession. The government spending counteracts the decrease in private spending, keeping the economy afloat until business can once again drive economic growth through private investment.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keynesian_economics and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Krugman

Late to the party but Australia's answer to the crisis was to INCREASE govt. spending (and debt)...pumping billions into the economy in the form of grants to schools for 'nation building' projects to stimulate the economy. Schools got more buildings out of it, jobs in construction increased for period and the economy didn't stall. They also gave the majority of the population money to spend and further stimulate the economy (They also guaranteed everyone's savings accounts up to a certain value in case the bank went bust.)

Not everyone agreed that it was the best way forward, but Australia weathered the last two crisis (or one big one depending on your view) better than most countries. IMO