MaggieMae
Reality bits
- Apr 3, 2009
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time for a recap...how did we get here, July 12th?
October 1st 2010- democrats do not approve a budget for 2011.
Nov. 2010- democrats lose house.
Noc. 2010- Obama cuts deal for an extension of the bush tax cuts, 2% payroll reduction for 2 years.
Jan. 2011 state of union. Wapo, NY Times remark that Obama has not addressed the deficit and has kick the can down the road proposing a 3.7 Trillion budget.
Feb thru April 2011- debates between dems and reps. – crafting a budget for the rest of the 2011 year, because there was no budget ( see above) and the gov. was being funded by ongoing resolutions, final agreement – 38.5 billion ( on an approx. 3.3 trillion budget) Harry Reid declared the deal "historic."
-June debt ceiling discussions start. Deadline – August 2. (adjusted). Obama calls for what would be an effective repeal of bush tax cuts as part of the debt. ceiling deal.
** Points;
- There is no budget submitted by the WH for 2012 as required ( budget due for approval by Oct. 1 2011).
- There is no Medicare fund adjustment submittal due by law from the WH.
- Reps apparently want a restructure of Medicare funding and budget cuts, are seen as holding the nation hostage because they will not agree to tax increases in the debt ceiling deal, even though obamacare has baked in numerous increases on those very “wealthy” whom the dems want to increase taxs on, again.
- Year 2011 budget cuts on paper and signed off- 38.5 billion.
You left out something else. Congress's refusal to accept the debt commission's recommendations, although it was the BEST blueprint to get things moving.
Senate votes down debt commission - Jan. 26, 2010
The bill had garnered bipartisan support as well as the backing of President Obama.
But it drew criticism from some influential conservative and liberal groups, as well as a number of top lawmakers such as Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
Conservatives didn't like it because they were sure the commission would lean too heavily on tax increases to help close the looming fiscal shortfalls. Liberals were equally convinced the commission would lean too heavily on draconian spending cuts, particularly in Medicare and Social Security.
Some lawmakers didn't like it because they saw the commission as usurping their authority and the obligations of Congress.
They'd much rather bicker over ideology than reality, and here we are. Still.