Congress Looks to Raise Debt Limit Once Again as Senate Dems Negotiate Spending Plan

Old St. Chuck Schumer is revving up the old confirmation machine to the max to tackle the horrendous backlog of Biden’s nominees that have been blocked by Insurrectionist #1 (Cruz) and Insurrectionist #2 (Hawley)! Schumer and Democrats are planning to force the Grand Old Phonies (GOP) to vote on a ton of these nominees via roll-call all the way until Christmas unless they agree to confirm these nominees unanimously in one big package! Whether Republicans choose to relent or endure, Democrats are going to get these nominees confirmed before the end of this year! Win-win!

No damn time off until what needs doing gets done!!! This isn't a game! Where in hell are the adults!?! There are extremely important issues at hand and it appears that some do not take these things serious enough. Why? Mark Meadows is a treasonous son of a bitch. A certain party is doing their damndest to destroy our democracy and have an authoritarian society. Take away all your rights just like a certain full of himself in Russia. Steal a woman's rights!?! Okay so let's take away gun rights! They're pissed off at how women are treated in Afghanistan but what the f*** are they doing to the women in our country!?! What do you call that? To all who do not take their jobs seriously need to get the f*** out of the way! No time off until things get done! This mess was dropped in Biden's lap! They built a f***ing wall to block anything and everything to fix it all! What totally pisses me off is they don't give a rat's ass about it either! A lot of shit went on behind the scenes by a f***ing dick-tator wannabe and his f***ing greedy weak little minions. The domino effect was created and this is why we are where we are! To all who do not sit there asses down and fix what's been destroyed by the previous administration and work on it, should be stripped of committee, expelled from public office and go to jail for helping to destroy the Constitution and our Democracy! Jail for committing treason, for allowing a coup against the governmental process and causing casualties during this so-called normal every day tour. My blood boils because Democrats need to fight fire with fire. No more playing nice with anyone who wants to f*** us all! If the so-called Republicans don't want to work at these f***ing problems that are needed to dig out of this shitshow, how about packing up your bags and move to a country that fits your sick dreams? This is the UNITED States of America! Your push for authoritarianism is unacceptable! Get to work!

While I am not inclined to make a big deal over Congressional Recesses, now I wish Biden & Schumer would grow a set and cancel the December Recess and get Build Back Better passed.

Every once in a while we see a mind blowing political ad. I think I just saw one. As found in my evening YouTube Feed: "It's Time To End This Crook's Political Career" https://youtu.be/5fPcN7RzSkc Posted with commentary by The Humanist Report: "This Anti-Joe Manchin Ad Should be Played EVERYWHERE in West Virginia" There is an associated article: "Joe Manchin Isn’t Against Entitlements — as Long as They’re for Rich People Like Him" https://www.jacobinmag.com/2021/10/joe-manchin-entitlement-mentality-work-free-income-child-tax-credit (I did not realize Manchin's wife was directly responsible for the >600% increase of the cost of EPI pens. A real POS!)

I’ve been looking at papers published online about reforming the Federal Budget. Admittedly, most are outside my areas of expertise. I wish this were an area where @Leslie's notion of the general applicability of "evidenced-based” thinking was possible, or that we could look around the world and point to "best practices" in national budgeting. While the 2018 paper I quote from below seems to fail to specifically address the disconnect of the Debt Ceiling Law and the Budget Process, it does neatly categorize the sets of problems. BTW – Nothing new but I think @jimK "owns" number 3–the lack of focus on the long term. I maintain that number 5 may be disingenuous; see my notes below. The current (budget) process has five significant failures that should be addressed: 1. Lack of Transparency—Many parts of the process are opaque and confusing. 2. Lack of Accountability—Deadlines are often missed, and budget rules are often waived without penalty or repercussion. 3. Lack of Focus on the long term—The process emphasizes heated debates over short-term issues, focusing primarily on just 30 percent of spending and 0 percent of revenue. 4. Lends itself to crisis moments—Crisis moments undermine the public trust and can lead to worse outcomes. 5. Increasingly terrible fiscal outcomes—Our debt is at the highest level as a share of the economy since World War II, and in recent months lawmakers have passed large deficit-financed tax and spending bills that only worsen the situation. From "Five Ways the Budget Process Has Failed" By the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget https://www.crfb.org/papers/five-ways-budget-process-has-failed Notes: A. As in our personal lives, we need to be wary of neat categories. B. The section on debt may be a trap laid by a particular view. We all have different tolerance of risk and debt. This is just personal finance 101. It gets worse when we apply risk & debt to groups. It's crazy when applied to governmental agencies since people with serious money and determined agendas insert themselves into the process with highly articulate, well-trained, suave public relations departments and lobbyists loaded with suitcases of cash and neither they nor their masters care one whit for the general welfare.

Nothing to discuss. You create bills, you pay your bills. It’s that simple.

Since it's so easy to make exceptions to the filibuster for the debt ceiling and other issues, let's make an exception to pass a Voting Rights Act to restore the ability to vote freely and fairly to all Americans regardless of location, skin color, socioeconomic status, and party. Senator Casey, I call on you to immediately bypass the filibuster and get this done. It's the only way we can protect our Democracy and it must be done now.

Vote No!

What is more important? Spending Caps or the continuation of our democracy?

On Putting Mark Meadows Out To Pasture @larubia's opinion: "Contempt of Congress defined: 'Contempt of Congress is the act of obstructing the work of the United States Congress or one of its committees.' "Meadows meets the criteria! "Hold him in contempt!" I don’t disagree. In fact there even seems to be a case for Treason. My wife and I have been watching fair amount of British drama on Acorn-TV. Currently, we are watching a show called "Line of Duty." It focuses on an Anti-Corruption Unit. That show has me fantasizing that it might be worth it to consider giving Meadows Full Immunity and Witness Protection for his detailed verifiable testimony against the Trump Syndicate and the Insurrectionists. As Trump's Chief of Staff for Trump's last eleven months in office, he should know many things, and it might be worth while to try to turn this Floridian Loyalist. On the other hand, the jeers of "Lock Him Up" sound pretty good, too.

#DealingWithInflation @Bullmom wrote: "Just quit spending - at the store today head lettuce was $2 - that’s a 100% increase since this summer - bakery bread was over $6/loaf - STOP SPENDING - you are doing irreparable harm and damage - WHERE ARE THE SOLUTIONS?" Just Quit Spending? Irreparable harm? Who is the “you”? Solutions? My idea of a solution involves the whole process of problem-solving, not just freaking out and flailing about. First, you have to understand the problem. That includes doing some reading, talking, and assessing your resources, and availing yourself of them. Second, make a plan. Third, Implement the plan. Fourth, Improve upon your understanding, your plan, and your implementation. Along the way, enjoy the results! First of all, try to calm yourself. Next, stop the blame game; decide what you can control right now. Next, you need to assess your resources, including family. Some of us can ask friends and family how they have coped with financial problems, including inflation, over the years. The answers may surprise you! I grew up with grandparents who lived through World War I, the Great Depression & WW II, and parents, aunts & uncles who lived through the Great Depression & WW II. They had plenty of advice on living cheaply. Reading is beneficial. Just the other day, USA Today ran an article on dealing with the inflation of daily items. For example, see "Inflation rate increase means groceries and Christmas gifts cost more. How to combat higher prices." https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2021/12/10/inflation-cpi-grocery-prices-save-tips/6460256001/ There're plenty more suggestions online, in the library, and on the newsstands. If things are really bad, avail yourself of your local food pantries instead of clinging to foolish pride. Be creative within your wheelhouse, and try stepping outside your self-imposed limitations. But sure, there will be problems. I just heard there's a cream cheese shortage in my part of the country. Go Figure! Butter on an Onion Bagel??? Ewwww! Did you know that many cultures do not ever include lettuce in a salad? The Marine slogan “Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome" encapsulates a mindset that allows one to deal with any physical, mental, or spiritual hardship. I have found it wonderfully helpful. BTW - You might want to read real articles about the current inflation problems and stop watching infotainment on Fox, etc. Such sources just encourage outrage, blaming "the other," not taking real responsibility, and stupidity. Here's how more politically liberal media approach things: "Inflation: How to spend less — or even make more money — as prices rise As inflation sees its biggest annual rise in 30 years in October, take advice from the experts about how to beat inflation or even benefit from it." By Michelle Singletary https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/10/15/faq-beating-inflation-cpi/ Trying taking advice from those people from South America you learned to love to hate: For Americans Shocked by Inflation, Argentines Have Some Advice - Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-11/the-inflation-pros-from-argentina-offer-tips-for-rattled-americans Add to that add some Iranian wisdom: Translated as "I had no shoes and I complained... ... until I met a man who had no feet. "

Really hope and really believe they are telling the truth on this and this is not a one time deal that they go a lot further than us the each and every city they take note and do the same policy their DAs get much stronger on the following organize crime spree that’s going on the smash and grabs and also the robbing of people on the streets in broad daylight or at night in each and every corner streets of the city also the shootings that they put up a liaison of the FBI for each and every city township homeland security take control on this matter of organized crime and each and every city should have a lieutenant or captain of such or sergeants detailed with other organizations of the FBI and more international and nationally our mayor needs to get tougher DA’s needs to change and now we nee tougher DA’s this will lead to what is the con much bigger than January 6 we seen what the world seen we seen what everyone in our nation has seen don’t allow this to happen with our democracy and our laws and cities and towns and Townships where the criminals win our leader ship state representative assembly members all the way up to the top Congress has the representatives the highest court in the land to the Lowe Courts of all levels unite need much stronger tactics ,to strengthen Constitutionally and stop the Nobel amendment no bond amendment now,the laws against organize crimes and organized criminal organizations on all levels as well hate crimes organized crimes need to be condemned thanks to Those that do their diligence in condemning and prosecuting to the highest thanks for not wavering or being lenient

Manchin and Sinema must go!

The GOP seems to want to ban abortions, but, this picture shows they have no concern for gun control.

The most important part of our debt ceiling and everything else that follows Academy will do very bad if the focus is not on protecting our economy infrastructure as well as businesses mom and pops and large and small I like and I’m hoping this reaches to all state senators do your job as well to the following January 6 was a wake up call to our nation and to our leaders and those who are involved with it shows that there is some sleepers, or other words those who want to do damage to our nation in so many ways that hold office or had a position as well to the President of the United States or advisers to the president of the United States Donald Trump this is a disgrace a blackeye tarnation and will go down in history forever never forgot the Republicans would like us to you and would like to race the event and say that it was nothing but it was huge much bigger than 9/11 it’s going to be coming if we’re not too careful for the people who want to undermine our democracy within our own government such as January 6,. You may have heard of my cousin who is from Georgia who was Jimmy Carter’s right hand man he was lieutenant governor to Atlanta Georgia Floyd Griffin and he was in the White House Pentagon Joint Chiefs of Staff Colonel serve for many years 35 or more ad and congressman statesman as well possibly running for a seat in Georgia I don’t know if I should say right now but I hope you guys support him and thank you so very much this is James M Coker hey citizen and work with the Department of elections city County and State of San Francisco California I really really look forward to you guys doing something about the Nobel play exit upon jail on no pond Nobel they should change because our system is broken severely and it’s not equal at all these things need to change and the laws must get much more enforcement the sheriffs  and police must work together in San Francisco exclusively and others alike they must have a liaison the FBI as lead homeland security should take charge of organized crimes units of every city state township and town we cannot afford our mom and pops CVS Walmart Walgreens Macy’s in Louis Vuitton and Vuitton an and police must work together in San Francisco exclusively and others alike they must have a liaison the FBI as lead homeland security should take charge of organized crimes units of every city state township and town we cannot afford our mom and pops CVS Walmart Walgreens Macy’s Louis Futon and others alike Dior  and others being bombarded and also strengthen and look at the securities and police officers as you seen SFPD sergeant was in this whole rampage of snatch and grab what does that say about our police departments they’re not doing their diligence and looking at officers the bad apples finding him before it’s too late this must be done it’s a must  ………      

Joe Manchin is starting to make the republicans party, the party of run to failure , the party that blocks progress at every turn, the party that gave tax cut to the wealthy running up the deficit and the republicans party of no way, look good. Manchin said “no” to $15 dollar minimum wage, “no” to raising minimum corporate tax, “no” to paid family leave, “no” to Green new deal, “no” to to the Dream act, “no” to DC statehood and “no” to repealing the filibuster. So far he is saying “no” to the BBB. Thing to remember is Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema is getting money from corporation and Republican Party, which supports authoritarian government and against helping small businesses, the American people and the country! So far they are supporting his constituents corporations and the Republican Party!

I am struggling with feelings of rage at the state of our country. The 1/6/21 commission has uncovered startling emails that point to overt efforts on the part of the former president and his supporters inside and outside of government to interfere in the lawful transfer of power. All of my representatives in office from Texas are doing nothing that would reflect well on them except in the most narrow partisan circles. After all what’s an insurrection among friends and like minded colleagues.There’s a propaganda machine on Fox News and its bastard offspring stations such as NewsMax. A good portion of the country still thinks the last election was rigged despite every reputable source proclaiming it wasn’t. Where’s the FCC when you need them?!? My crew of salaried representatives wink wink at all the concerns of voter fraud and fan the flames of confusion and division. Treason occurred on their watch and they shrugged. How do they rationalize all that they do? It boggles my mind. Trump is the Svengali in this play. How Pence became the villain is a symptom of how wrong things can go when people who know better just walk away from the mess they were complicit in creating and then manage to turn around and capitalize on it to boot. Shame on every one who puts party over country. Shame on you. Hope your Christmas dinners get stuck in your throats as you come to grips with your broken oaths of office.

Absolutely, Anne! 😊❤️😊❤️

Communist-Dems are working to ruin USA, to then "Build back better" into aq Communist cesspool. GOP must find a backbone, and stop this lucid ill madness.

It is long past time that Congress tied the debt ceiling to budget so that we CANNOT hit a shutdown point and need not panic at these periodic adjustments.