IT: Another government shutdown? & 🛩 Should we boost defense funding?

Close the borders now. Put Trump rules back in place NOW.

Do you go into debt to fix your roof, or do you just let the elements ruin the whole house? There is reasonable debt. Come on. And the very wealthy are not paying their fair share of the blood, sweat and tears that it takes to keep this country functioning.

Jim K Everything about Biden‘s plans are pointless only 8% of it actually has to do with real infrastructure the rest of it goes to cronies and donors and those who are trying to push the false narrative about electric vehicles being the savior of the world they will cause more pollution than anything we do now and it is actually Factual

Yeah…let us keep spending money that we don’t have so our Country falls! Spend on our defense and stop spending on the insane, racist, marxist, radical agenda!

RECKLESS SPENDING! There is nothing reckless about Biden’s plans. They are investments in the country and our future. The $7.8 Trillion spent by the Republican Faction in just four years was mostly a combination of wealthy tax cuts, entitlements to agricultural interests to make up for the trump’s failed trade wars, expenses for the trump’s colossal failure to address the pandemic and funds given to given to large corporations and unmanaged PPP funds largely sent to businesses largely supported by Republican Faction’s holdings or benefactors. Relatively little of this went to directly support the people by comparison. … … … So the Republican Faction spent most of these funds on their self interests in ways that did very little to stimulate a teetering economy. Most of the funds, the wealthy tax cuts especially, went straight to the wealthy’s non-taxable assets or into corporate stock buybacks and these funds did nothing at all to stimulate the economy. NOTHING. … … … The Republican Faction spent $7.8 Trillion over four years or $1.95 Trillion per year. The Biden human infrastructure plan is looking for $3.5 Trillion or $350 Billion per year. So the Republican Faction increases the public debt by $1,950 Million per year and the Democratic bill is looking at spending $350 Billion - or in other words, the Republican Faction during the trump administration, increased the public debt at an annual rate that is 5.6 times greater than than the annual spending required to support the Democratic human infrastructure plan. The Republican debt has no and never had any economic ‘pay-for’ or means to reduce the debt. The Biden infrastructure bill is both paid by a marginal tax increase for single people with incomes over $400K and has a substantial long term economic return as well. … … … So, what exactly is unrealistic or excessive about this package? Just what the f@¢k is it that the Republican Faction and their lemmings are talking about? … … … When people’s thought processes do not extend past recited emotive buzz phrases and bumper sticker slogans they can never judge reality which is never just black and white, yeah or nay - but is most often a case of mostly black or mostly white. It is easy for people who only think in terms of buzz-phrases or bumper sticker slogans only to see those few facts that tend to support their pre-ordained views and miss the bigger picture - to truly see the whole picture which actually mostly white even though the cherry-picked ‘fact’ tells them that it is absolutely black - when it is not.

Here are the latest figures since January 20th at noontime to present 250 days. Cases 18,941,784 new cases last two days 266,462. Deaths 427,007 new deaths last two days 1,188. Yet Comrade dear leader Beijing Biden leaves the borders wide open with no quarantine or testing.

RE: AFGHANISTAN DEBACLE HEARING I heard lots of Self Serving Questions and responses that were CYA and Double Talk. Just Political Business As Usual I loved how General Milley answered the "Did you say, 'Trump is crazy.'?" question. Top-notch sidestepping. Not surprised he made it to General. I can't entirely agree with the assessment that the Afghan intervention was a failure of strategy. I think it was primarily an error in goal setting. When the goal changed to Westernize Afghanistan, presidents, congressional oversight, and the military command all failed in one way or another. Also, given the reported high level of corruption in both the Afghan government and military, there were obvious errors in the execution of whatever plans were made. Assuming accurate feedback was relayed back up the chain of command, the failures lie first with the Colonels & Generals but ultimately with the Administrations lead by Bush, Obama, and Trump. Unless we get credible reports to the contrary, it is likely that few realized how quickly the Taliban would move. The military should have been far more cautious and convinced Biden that it should have left ~5,000 troops to protect, as it turned out, the massive number of American citizens, other foreign nationals, and the alledgedly qualified Afghan aids. (> 120,000) BTW - Why weren't the instigator Dick Cheney and the official initiator Dubya mentioned?

How about this: instead of continuing to write blank checks from the Treasury to the entire military-industrial complex (thank you sincerely, President Eisenhower) forever, let’s conduct the first-ever thorough and complete audit of the U.S. Department of Defense. What a concept: legal accountability for failed multi-billion-dollar money-pit weapons systems, for starters. Rather than throw even more good taxpayer money after bad, let’s shine the floodlight of day on the Pentagon. It’s 2021, not 1981 or 1951. Time for a high colonic examination, of both well-placed bureaucrats and military brass. This year!

Clinton: please do not attack commentators on this site because you unable to understand their comments. Emotional statements are just that and add nothing to the commentary here unless there are actual facts that support your views.

ANY government official that thinks this spending bill is good for the American people are lying to you. What is really happening is our government is going to get rid of the constitution and rule by dictatorship. We the people will not be free, we will be ruled. You can see this with 1/6 held in jail unlawfully for months. The rule of law is being weaponized the Americans and rule of law doesn’t count if your in the ruling class. This bill should not pass. anyone voting for this bill should be voted out of office.. Anyone that votes for this bill should NEVER be allowed in Government again, because you are NOT representing the Americans, you are in public office to enrich yourself and take away the power that belongs to WE THE PEOPLE.

A government shutdown will fall at your feet, no matter how hard you spin. Ted and Randy already have a strike for sedition. John just earned his with his not so subtle “I wanna be Mitch” trump pitch. Borrow that snake oil from Ted? Y’all are destroying your party but “True to form” y’all are taking all of us down with you. I’d love to know how you sleep, I don’t.

@manfromnebraska I hope your not counting on a social security check or need Medicare to pay a bill for you after the shut down. Hopefully, no one in your family is “essential” and has to work WITHOUT pay. BTW, the money was already spent. Most of it by your overlord, tRump & approved by in large by Moscow Mitch. Your party is playing games. Don’t get sucked into the BS. Instead, why not ask for the Tax Benefits for the Wealthy be eliminated??? That would be a start in the right direction (no pun intended).

@Clinton, yep social security & Medicare still carry on, with caveats. No new cards will be issued & good luck paying medical bills, as everything gets delayed. I hope you feel better.

So as of 5 minutes ago the Republicans voted to totally fuck up the debt ceiling discussion, are threatening a shutdown and are blatantly weaponizing this whole situation to try to gain seats in the midterms. Party and power above country. Now THAT’S bullshit.

Who is responsible for our country’s debt - Democrats or Republicans or both? Here’s a report today on Politifact fact-checking Florida Senator’s claim that it’s all the Democrats’ fault. “The U.S. is again facing a reckoning on the size of the national debt, which is approaching its legal limit. Without an increase in the debt ceiling, the country will not be able to borrow money to cover its bills. That would affect Social Security recipients, veterans and the people, banks and foreign nations that hold U.S. Treasury bonds. Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott said it should be up to Democrats to solve this problem on their own. We won’t vote to bail them out and cut them more blank checks to bury us in debt," Scott wrote Sept. 23 in the Orlando Sentinel. "Democrats are responsible for the massive spending and debt growth, they alone need to take responsibility for raising the debt limit." Are Democrats alone responsible for the growth in the debt? No. It has been a decades-long, bipartisan effort. The day President Joe Biden took office, the national debt stood at $27.7 trillion. Eight months later, it is approaching that $28.4 trillion limit. But Scott’s finger-pointing ignores how the debt got as big as it is. Thanks to spending for wars, crises and mandatory government programs, along with a series of tax cuts, the debt continued expanding throughout the post-World War II period, regardless of which party controlled the White House or Congress. In nominal dollars, since World War II, just over 60% of the growth in the debt took place under Republican presidents, and about 40% under Democratic presidents. Biden championed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act to help the country control and recover from the pandemic. Most of that spending takes place over two years, but it has already added to the running tally of the national debt. The bill passed without a single Republican vote. So that’s on the Democrats. Now, the Democrats are seeking to pass a measure that could spend trillions more on infrastructure and social programs. How much it would ultimately contribute to the debt depends on the tax increases in the final package. But since none of it has been enacted yet, it hasn’t added a penny to the debt. [I recently posted an analysis of this bill explaining how it might work for it actually not to add to the debt or deficit spending.] Scott didn’t mention the recent Republican record on adding to the debt, so we looked it up. What we found is that from the day President Donald Trump took office to his last day, the national debt grew $7.8 trillion. About half of that — $3.6 trillion — came from dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. That spending was backed by both Republicans and Democrats. It included the $2.1 trillion CARES Act, and another dose of relief of about $950 billion in late December 2020. Democrats and Republicans also approved spending bills that increased defense and social program spending. But a good chunk of the debt increase came from initiatives backed solely by Trump and the then-GOP-controlled Congress. The 2017 Republican Tax Cut and Jobs Act, which slashed personal and corporate taxes, was supposed to spur enough economic growth to make up for lower tax rates. But after two years — even before the pandemic pummeled the economy — government revenues were down by about half a trillion dollars from what they would have been without the tax cuts. Not a single Democratic voted for that law, and among Republicans, only a dozen House members voted against it. All told, before the pandemic struck, the debt had increased $3.3 trillion on Trump’s watch. http://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/sep/27/rick-scott/rick-scott-blames-democrats-expanding-debt-it-was-/

I see some speak their mind before getting all the facts. First raising the Debt Ceiling only pays for the previous administrations spending. Has nothing to do with this administration’s hopes. Debt ceiling was brought about because some members of Congress did not want us involved in WWI. Shutting down the government does not harm one individual in Congress or the White House. It only effects those who really do work for the American people. It really hurts those that are so called “Essential Workers” who mandatory have to show up to work, with no pay, until Congress approves their back pay. Seeing people shoot from the hip with no real knowledge of how our government system works or supports them in many ways, is how King Donald was elected. Heaven help us.

Jim2423 is correct on several points and shares good basics on what this confusing “debt ceiling “ is all about. So thanks Jim! I agree that far too many people shoot off their mouths without understanding what they are talking about which offers no helpful insights or solutions-ever. This is true in both politics and in everyday life. It’s one of the reasons I retired. It’s called “was tired of the bullshit”. Alas, so many politicians are full of bullshit and use the debt ceiling annually as a political hockey puck when it should never be an issue…….ahhhh the bullshit.

The republicans Mitch McConnell had no problem shutting down government. Mitch McConnell talks out both ends. His word can’t be trusted and also most republicans. They stand for nothing and fall for anything. That is why they are the Party of lies and misinformation, a party of no vision, no future and a run to failure party. A party that believe in free lunches for themselves and tax cuts to corporations and wealthy elitist to zero and not care about will the world we live in. That the working poor is your choice and trickle down economic is great for them.

The government doesn’t actually shut down. Essential workers are required to work without pay (I know because I was one of them the last time the government shut down) and the rest are “furloughed” without pay. That means federal workers might lose houses, have trouble paying bills, and have trouble putting groceries in the table. They don’t spend as usual, either, which has a broader economic impact. There are 1,869,986 federal workers and the cities and States with large numbers of federal employees will suffer as will businesses located there.

This is one of the reasons the filibuster should at least be reformed. Where is the bipartisanship that Manchin and Sinema, as they enjoy their newfound power due to the slim majority in the Senate keep assuring us exists? I do not believe a minority in the Senate that represents a minority of voters should have a tool available to abuse in political brinkmanship to the detriment of our economy and the American people.