Conservative Tea Parties

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/03/24/LI2005032401502.html


Looking for a benefits-spending cuts deal to reduce the deficit


The grass-roots political force that logically should be spurring Congress and the president to tackle these ruinous deficits is the Tea Party movement.

But it does not speak the same language as does Peterson's billion-dollar foundation or the intellectual heavyweights assembled in the Reagan Building.
Their declaration that "our current national debt is $12.9 trillion, or nearly 90 percent of GDP" is not the battle cry that will send Sarah Palin's ardent admirers into the streets.
 :?


http://www.pgpf.org/



Thousands of Americans will gather in more than 20 cities for a National Town Meeting on June 26th on the nation’s fiscal future. The goal of the nonpartisan discussion is to find common ground about the choices necessary to address the nation’s growing deficit and national debt. Local forums will be linked together by satellite and the Internet for a truly national discussion. Recommendations will be shared with national leaders, including members of Congress and the White House’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

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Cats and dogs sleeping together.
 :lol:

For me, jaw dropping.

http://www.congress.org/news/2010/06/07/activist_walks_a_lonely_path


ps I believe some activists will be gathering in Queens soon. I have not seen yet details.

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A constellation of folks you may not want to hear.
FBC

http://freedomwatchonfox.com/

“Tea Party Summit”

Dr Paul
Sarah Palin

Dr. Rand Paul
Senator Jim DeMint
Rep. Michelle Bachman
Dick Armey

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http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/business/jan-june10/debt_04-27.html

The commission has been asked to propose recommendations that would reduce the U.S. deficit to within 3 percent of gross domestic product by 2015. Last year, the annual budget deficit hit a whopping $1.4 trillion, or just over 10 percent of GDP, the highest rate since World War II. Future deficits are forecast to balloon as more baby boomers retire and spending for Medicare and Social Security swell.

One of the GOP members is House member Paul Ryan. Unlike many, he actually has proposals for all to consider.
It could be great if the President and Congress find some of the ideas to implement.

From my view, the plans are daring and favor reforms over near; mid; and long term (several decades). The reforms offer much support for versions of social security. And it appears to strictly rein in medical spending.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/01/AR2010080103518.html

Interesting profile.

Rep. Ryan pushes budget reform, and his party winces

At a recent appearance touting the Roadmap at the left-leaning Brookings Institution, someone asked Ryan why more conservatives weren't behind his budget plan.

 "They're talking to their pollsters," Ryan answered, "and their pollsters are saying,
'Stay away from this. We're going to win an election.' "

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http://taxes.kareemshaya.com/

Interesting idea, works for any taxpayer (sort of)


And a surprisingly interesting read
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/209395

Obama in Command

What do you think of the Tea Party and the people behind it?
I think the Tea Party is an amalgam, a mixed bag of a lot of different strains in American politics that have been there for a long time. There are some strong and sincere libertarians who are in the Tea Party who generally don't believe in government intervention in the market or socially. There are some social conservatives in the Tea Party who are rejecting me the same way they rejected Bill Clinton, the same way they would reject any Democratic president as being too liberal or too progressive. There are strains in the Tea Party that are troubled by what they saw as a series of instances in which the middle-class and working-class people have been abused or hurt by special interests and Washington, but their anger is misdirected.

Ask Bloomberg too

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Even at 2008 spending levels, we will still have deficit spending. For every 100 billion the govt spends, 40 billion is borrowed. Congress and the White House must make a better budget.
And the President will not stand with campaign limits, so why keep them. The parties already take corporate sponsors, pay your own way.

Non-Security Discretionary Spending Limit - Vote Passed (256-165, 13 Not Voting)

The House approved this resolution directing the chair of the Budget Committee to reduce non-security spending to 2008 levels for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year. The Budget Committee sets spending levels but does not appropriate funds. The continuing resolution currently funding government operations expires on March 4, 2011.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney voted NO


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Presidential Campaign Fund Termination - Vote Passed (239-160, 35 Not Voting)

The House voted to end a program put in place in 1976 that provides taxpayer funds to presidential candidates and the major parties for their nominating conventions. The bill's future in the Senate is unclear.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney voted NO

[FZ]

Even at 2008 spending levels, we will still have deficit spending. For every 100 billion the govt spends, 40 billion is borrowed. Congress and the White House must make a better budget.
And the President will not stand with campaign limits, so why keep them. The parties already take corporate sponsors, pay your own way.

Agreed, but, partisanship all around is so  thick these days  that any agreement is  seen as  some kind of betrayal. Very sad.

[Sweeper]

While looking up historical deficit numbers, I came across an article that quotes our Congresswoman:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15220076/

“Only a president with such a historically bad economic record would be this excited about a $248 billion deficit,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, a New York Democrat. “Under his watch ... record surpluses turned into record deficits as far as the eye can see.”

In light of February's historical monthly budget deficit:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/mar/7/government-posts-biggest-monthly-deficit-ever/

I was wondering if any of Rep Maloney's cheerleaders here could tell me why she is so steadfast in spending our future down the drain.
Just for reference, she is pissed about about an annual deficit of $248 billion, but shrugs off a $233 billion MONTHLY deficit.

I know how much the Tea Party is derided here. But at least tell me how we can get across to our elected representatives that we no longer will accept this blatant disregard for our country's future?

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http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0308/Is-a-US-debt-crisis-two-years-away-Commission-chairs-call-for-a-fix-now.

The credit rating agency Moody's, for one, recently warned that it might put a "negative outlook" on US Treasury debts within two years. That step could pave the way for a formal downgrade of America's current triple-A credit rating.

"Now is the time to act," said Democrat Erskine Bowles, who headed the commission along with former Republican Sen. Alan Simpson of Wyoming. The message from the two men amounted to a pointed criticism of the status quo for elected officials in both major parties.

I will be cautiously optimistic that a consensus will be found for at least minimal cuts. Cutting 5 Billion each month may add up over the years.

[mangopaco]

I will be cautiously optimistic that a consensus will be found for at least minimal cuts. Cutting 5 Billion each month may add up over the years.

Unfortunately the minimal cuts come in the form of cuts to NPR and PBS when the real cuts should be made in the now pointless efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We need more than minimal cuts.  Don't remember the exact number but we're spending about $6billion per month in Iraq alone. 

[QMC]

Unfortunately the minimal cuts come in the form of cuts to NPR and PBS when the real cuts should be made in the now pointless efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We need more than minimal cuts.  Don't remember the exact number but we're spending about $6billion per month in Iraq alone.

That's 72 billion a year.  Where do you get the other 1 trillion+ to close the deficit?  And even getting out of Iraq/Afghanistan is still going to require some level of continued support and involvement, lest you recreate the conditions that prevailed in Afghanistan after both we and the Soviets got out  in 1989.

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We will see if the Senate budget negotiations can find real cuts and reforms, which obviously would need to look at many areas beyond NPR. Unconfirmed reports are of 1 trillion in cuts, but over how many years?
When Congress recently aimed for cuts, they managed to actually increase spending, as usual.
 
It seems to me still that the US should not need to spend more on military than the next ten great countries. I don't believe we can afford to place ourselves in every failed state, and every civil war against citizens or rebels. I would like to hear from the President his views on:
 
US Constitution Article 1:8

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, ...
 
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

 
 
I don't know if a challenger to Gillibrand will offer much in 2012.

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 probably OT
and maybe some irony given today's holiday
 
Far more interested than usual in hearing from a speaker:
 
http://serfcity.wordpress.com/
 
 Reason Magazine’s Damon Root on Unsung Libertarian Heroes in American History 
9/12
Monday, Sept. 12
 Time: Second Monday of every month, 7:00 pm
Location: Ukrainian East Village
Street: 140 2nd Ave
City/Town: NY

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Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul on Monday laid out an economic plan that would lower corporate and individual taxes and cut federal spending by $1 trillion during his first year in office, achieved partly by eliminating five cabinet-level departments.
Mr. Paul, a longtime Texas congressman, said he would close the departments of Education, Energy, Commerce, Interior and Housing and Urban Development, as part of a broader plan to cut federal spending. The federal work force would be cut by 10%.

...
 
wsj.com

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http://www.concordcoalition.org/press-releases/2011/1114/concord-coalition-urges-super-committee-co-chairs-produce-legislative-frame
 

 The Concord Coalition has argued from the beginning of the super committee’s work that all options must be on the table and that the final agreement should aim for a greater amount of deficit reduction than the statutory mandate of $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion over 10 years.