And now a word from the "Coffee Party".....

[Momanohedhunter]

Dear Speaker Boehner,

As a Republican, I have followed your handling of the debt ceiling negotiations, and the future of the federal budget, with mounting concern. You appear to be engaged in a game of partisan brinksmanship with our nation’s financial future. Now is not the time for scoring political points or playing to the fantasies of the anti-government libertarian zealots within our Party.

Your handling of the debt ceiling negotiations, and the prior budget proposals advanced in Representative Paul Ryan’s “Path to Prosperity,” makes it clear that the GOP is more concerned with protecting the interests of America’s most wealthy citizens, even to the detriment of the rest of us, and to the common good. For example, it is farcical to frame the debt and the deficit as merely problems of spending — they are, in fact, issues created by both expenditures and revenues. Nor is taking an axe to the federal government an acceptable solution — traditionally, we conservatives have been in favor of a limited government, not an eviscerated one. In the end, we simply have to pay for the services we expect government to provide. As such, a discussion of raising additional revenue — taxes — must be a part of any long-term solution.

Read more of his letter here:

Dear Speaker Boehner: An open letter on the debt and the budget | Coffee Party

Ooooooold news. They were out a long time ago.

 

[The T]

Coffee Party is a fucking JOKE. What a waste of bandwidth.

 

[daveman]

Here is a brief bio of the man who wrote the letter. I guess if you don't agree with him, he's not a Republican, is that correct?

Michael Stafford is a 2003 graduate of Duke University School of Law, a former Republican Party officer from Delaware, and the founder of the Coffee Party 2.0 pilot project, Republicans for Responsible Reform. His writing has been featured on national and local blogs such as FrumForum, The Cagle Post, and TommyWonk. He is the author of An Upward Calling: Politics for the Common Good published by AVT Books.

I'd like to see who he wants to run on the GOP Platform in 2012.

He may be a Republican, but he's not necessarily a conservative.

Besides, I'm reminded of Jeb Eddy:

"Ashamed Republican" Is An Embarrassed Democrat (Wizbang)

 

[MaggieMae]

He's actually taking the position of a SANE Republican. You know, those folks who at one time were, in fact, "compassionate" conservatives, while maintaining their fiscal conservative ideologies.

He is being a dishonest sleazy hack parroting demo talking points by rote.

I can get along with a democrat who is frank and honest about our differences of opinion. You have your priorities, theories of taxation and the importance of maintaining a certain level of debt and I have mine. We can argue them out in an adult manner any time you feel in the mood.

But this business of some coyote in sheep's clothing mouthing.... "I am a true republican" (that phrase right there makes me want to start counting the silverware) " but I think we should trample on principle and swallow the Democrat's codswallop, because after all they are right" does not inspire me to anything except anger at folks who would peddle such organic fertilizer as true metal.

As I've said many times before, my entire family with the exception of me have been registered Republicans going back to WWII. But they will have nothing to do with the "new" conservatism being blasted from Washington because they do not believe successful programs and "welfare" programs for the poor and underprivileged should be thrown under the bus while the government continues to subsidize those who can well afford to pay their dues. They are completely embarrassed by the grandstanding by Congress people; they're disturbed that absolutely NOTHING getting resolved because of conservatives with their feet stuck in Grover Norquist concrete. They seem to make some inroads which could lead to a satisfactory compromise, and the next day they're back on TV in little groups just saying NO, because Grover ordered them to. When in the hell has a citizen been given carte blanche approval to call all the shots?

And I don't think my first comment was posted as a parroted talking point any more than those posted from the right which amount to nothing more than talking points. I mean seriously...how often in any 24-hour period, do you hear the mantra: "We don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem." A broken record. A talking point. But do the powers that be in the conservative wing ever go further with that statement other than tossing out even more talking points? Frankly, I think we do that here, on this message board, since they won't. Sorry you seem to have missed any of my extensive comments posted here and in many, many other threads.

 

[daveman]

Conservatives love only the rich. And now..they completely own the Republican party.

So yeah.

Which of course, is why we advocate real charity towards the poor instead of this government robbery.

HOW'S THAT RETARD CHARITY WORKING OUT??

Depends. You get a check yet?

 

[MaggieMae]

" Your handling of the debt ceiling negotiations, and the prior budget proposals advanced in Representative Paul Ryan’s “Path to Prosperity,” makes it clear that the GOP is more concerned with protecting the interests of America’s most wealthy citizens, even to the detriment of the rest of us, and to the common good. "


Hard to believe he's a republican after writing that. It's just wrong, sure some repubs are in bed with the uberwealthy and special interests, but so are many dems. The fact is that the GOP believes in enacting policies that incentivize new business and expanding existing businesses, and those policies by default aid the wealthy most of all cuz they're the ones with the capital to invest and make the big bucks as a result. Such policies are not detrimental to the middle and lower income people; on the contrary it offers more jobs and an increased chance to advance.

Once again, and here's my own broken record. Where were these companies so eager to expand when they HAD tax windfalls and deregulation? Why should anyone believe they're anymore interested in "investing" in America even if the corporate tax rate is reduced and some pesky regulations continue to be ignored?

 

[MaggieMae]

You mean to tell us you’re so used to the GOP working for the rich against the poor and middle class that it doesn't even faze you any more?

That is a sad statement indeed Willow...

I'm convinced that people on message boards who post agreement with the extremist right wing ideologies of today never had to worry about where their next rent or mortgage payment was going to come from; never were forced to apply for food stamps to feed their families; never had an astronomical medical bill that they lost sleep over how to pay for it; and of course, never been unemployed for REAL lack of work for long periods of time to the point it affects them financially, physically, and mentally. Not yet, anyway.

where was the extremist statement?

I guess you only absorb what you want to absorb in posts that favor your position. Sad. Read some by Rabbi, Daveman, and for the most extreme, ones like Willow, Stephanie, Bigreb, Brutus, etc. There are hundreds, and you know it. Plus it's always silly to expect me (or anyone) to go back and FIND some of those comments, so why ask?

 

[MaggieMae]

Which of course, is why we advocate real charity towards the poor instead of this government robbery.

I think the poor would like to know where to find such charities. Seriously.

send the po' to me, I'll hook'em up with a phone number...

Yeah, I'll bet. You do know that even churches lock their doors at sundown now. No homeless welcome to sleep here..., not even veterans. Obviously, however, leaving it all up to charities would soon find them unable to handle the volume.

 

[MaggieMae]

I'm starting to think that people on message boards who call people who disagree with them "extremist" are unemployed insomniac food stamp collecting debtors who are mentally affected.

But I wouldn't sweat the Coffee Party. That half a dozen member voting block per State could not get a dog catcher elected.

They have meetings and decide the "buzzword" of the season,, "extremist" is a term you will see all lieberal and the congressment use when referring to Republicans.

I am Libertarian myself but I tend to like the Republican extremist. Frederick Douglass, Abe Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Calvin Coolidge, Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan etc etc. (By today's standard, lots of extremely extreme extremist)

Funny, but they all had an inherent ability to see the bigger picture and knew automatically that COMPROMISE is the only way to that end. As someone's analogy used yesterday cleverly put it, you wouldn't build a car and fire the people who could build the engine for it.

 

[Rinata]

another buzzword.. "obstruct."

You hope he fails, right??? Then why don't you just go live somewhere else?? We don't want you. If you want the president to fail, you don't deserve to be an American.

 

[Rinata]

LOL, sure he is a Republican.

all I saw was, blaaa blaaa blaaaa, you Republicans bad, them Democrats ARE the saints in all this.

It sounded right out of the playbook of the Liberals on this board.

what a JOKE

Must you always criticize and be such a downer??? What IS your problem, Steph?? You're another one at war with the world and everybody in it.

 

[MaggieMae]

Here is a brief bio of the man who wrote the letter. I guess if you don't agree with him, he's not a Republican, is that correct?

Michael Stafford is a 2003 graduate of Duke University School of Law, a former Republican Party officer from Delaware, and the founder of the Coffee Party 2.0 pilot project, Republicans for Responsible Reform. His writing has been featured on national and local blogs such as FrumForum, The Cagle Post, and TommyWonk. He is the author of An Upward Calling: Politics for the Common Good published by AVT Books.

I'd like to see who he wants to run on the GOP Platform in 2012.

As for his partisan credentials, I still smell a rat, I see it floating in the air.

In terms of partisan bickering, you don't establish your credentials by slicing the feet out from under your friends. And right now partisan credentials are less important than getting a useful solution.

The particular grievance i have with both sides is they find it necessary to take things to the brink either as the only means to get a negotiation on their points, or they are willing to force default rather than negotiate in good faith.

I am looking for someone to come up with a deal that gets both sides out of the game of chicken, but does not let the problem continue forever. If nothing else, get us past February 1 of 2013, as I am very sure the present leadership in Washington is incapable of dealing with it in an adult manner.

Step one is for Obama to make real cuts. Step two is for the republicans to budge on the issue of goofy tax breaks. But step one has to happen first. Republican trust of Democrat promises is less than zero.

I agree. I also think there needs to be a resolution that said budget cuts won't be put on the back burner just because Congress votes to raise the debt limit. A clean bill defining what specifically is proposed to be cut no later than mid September, because by the end of September, we're already looking at another fiscal year. Take care of the latter first, and take UP the former immediately thereafter. (But of course now that won't happen until September, cuz they've all gotta go home for a month and "talk to their constituents" if they have time between golf games.)

 

[The T]

LOL, sure he is a Republican.

all I saw was, blaaa blaaa blaaaa, you Republicans bad, them Democrats ARE the saints in all this.

It sounded right out of the playbook of the Liberals on this board.

what a JOKE

Must you always criticize and be such a downer??? What IS your problem, Steph?? You're another one at war with the world and everybody in it.

No just non-thinking Statists as *YOU*

 

[MaggieMae]

Another one of those "Republicans love only the rich" yawn.....

Conservatives love only the rich. And now..they completely own the Republican party.

So yeah.

The party of the rich today is the Democrat Party. Didn't you get the memo?

Ya think?

OpenSecrets.org: Money in Politics -- See Who's Giving & Who's Getting

 

[The T]

another buzzword.. "obstruct."

You hope he fails, right??? Then why don't you just go live somewhere else?? We don't want you. If you want the president to fail, you don't deserve to be an American.

God damned right Obama is failing...and rightfully so. But hey? You are profiting right? How's it feel to back the LOSER that is Obama?

 

[MaggieMae]

I'm not a fan of partisian bullcrap. I've lived a fair number of decades and I've never seen the divide worse. Republicans cater to the wealthy and corporations, because that's their bread-and-butter campaign contribution base. Democrats cater to unions, poor working class, and minorities because that's their bread-and-butter voter base.

Nobody gives a damn about issues anymore. Folks seem perfectly happy to read the GOP/Dem party platform to learn what they should think, then repeat the party talking points without engaging a single brain cell.

We didn't get from a surplus in 2000 to the deficit we have today because of a single administration. We got it via two major overseas wars, record spending combined with record tax cuts by back-to-back GOP administrations, all of which has been carried forward by the current Democratic administration.

You know who's responsible for the mess that we as a nation are now facing? Politicians, that's who. Right, left, center, radical, moderate... at their very core they are all politicians, and the only thing they are working for is their own reelection.

Because they sure as hell aren't working for us.

Politicians and the lobbyists who create them.

 

[The T]

Which of course, is why we advocate real charity towards the poor instead of this government robbery.

HOW'S THAT RETARD CHARITY WORKING OUT??

Depends. You get a check yet?

Not yet. They are waiting on the green light if/when the Debt ceiling is raised...so he can collect it.

 

[MaggieMae]

This guy sounds confused. I wish I knew what state he's from so i could send him an application so he can change his voter registration.

I wonder if he's confused about his gender too.

Great so not only is he not a republican but he's also probably a fag too.

This is an awesome show of diverse opinions and tolerance. Dems probably like the letter because it mirrors what they think sure. That doesn't mean that the author isn't a republican at all. See: Blue Dog Dems...as much as they disagree with dems no one questions thier "real" affiliation or sexuality

Please don't presume that those types of comments are only generated by Dems. You only appear hypocritical.

 

[daveman]

another buzzword.. "obstruct."

You hope he fails, right??? Then why don't you just go live somewhere else?? We don't want you. If you want the president to fail, you don't deserve to be an American.

 

[Zander]

Anyone who believes that letter was from a "conservative" is a moron.

"Conservative" like "liberal" are characterizations unfortunately lumping all into either/or, when in fact the majority of thinking people who call themselves "conservatives" don't want to break the back of the government's ability to provide an umbrella for the less fortunate. For one thing, THINKING conservatives know that to do so would eventually cost even more money, especially for the states. Not saying you, personally, don't THINK, but just THINK about the all-inclusive defining of the two parties today. It's so simplistic and idiotic that I do wonder what has happened to logic, compassion, and good old rational analysis before going off half cocked.

Far left liberals are at the opposite end of the spectrum. They don't want any reductions in government entitlement programs and other domestic umbrella programs, and haven't thought through the enormous additional cost that will be incurred as the baby boomers begin to retire, Mideast war veterans returning home to find jobs that aren't even there for folks who have had less, and in some cases no income coming in to speak of. OF COURSE those programs must be scaled back, but they can't be eliminated to the point those same people who rely on them will just look elsewhere in order to survive (more families living in government-funded shelters, more people looking for heating assistance, more people looking for food stamps. Will normally law-abiding citizens turn to crime?). Nor can more money be added to those programs in order to accommodate an ever-increasing out-of-work job force. THINKING liberals are proactive and focus on long-term solutions rather than REacting to short-term ones.

All it takes for us to have a balanced budget is to return to the size of government we had in 2002. Maybe liberals and conservatives should "think" about that? We are spending $ trillions that we don't have - borrowing money from other countries -many of whom we give Aid to!! Think about how stupid this is! Take Israel for an example - we gave them $791 Million in economic AID in 2009 (we gave them another $2.5 billion in military aid too!) They took our economic "aid" and invested $240 million of it into....US Treasury Bonds!!! Egypt averages around $500 million in economic aid per year and they purchased, on average, $400 Million in treasury bonds per year.

There is so much fraud, waste and abuse at every level of government that is sickening. Suggesting that "people will suffer" if we don't continue to spend $3.6 trillion per year is ridiculous.