**NOTE: Scroll down for updates**
Welcome to another episode of As the Kabuki Theatre Turns. According to numerous reports it appears as ‘tentative deal’ between Congress and Urkel has emerged. Isn’t it amazing that they come up with it just before the episode ends? I am more and more inclined to think this is exactly the outcome arranged fr4om the beginning within the establishment and the absurdity of the last 2 weeks (if not 30 years) has all been elaborate and well-rehearsed theatre.
The deal also seems to be exactly what I have been predicting for weeks–meaningless. It will raise the debt ceiling by the August 2 deadline, includes the probability of tax increases and will maintain the status quo through next year’s elections.
They’re all corrupt, incompetent cowards.
Congressional Sources: Republicans and Democrats Reach Tentative Debt Deal
Democratic and Republican Congressional sources involved in the negotiations tell ABC News that a tentative agreement has been reached on the framework of a deal that would give the President a debt ceiling increase of up to $2.4 trillion and guarantee an equal amount of deficit reduction over the next 10 years…
Here, according to Democratic and Republican sources, are the key elements:
*A debt ceiling increase of up to $2.1 to $2.4 trillion (depending on the size of the spending cuts agreed to in the final deal).
*They have now agreed to spending cuts of roughly $1.2 trillion over 10 years [Which, considering our debt and the growth of government is nothing].
*The formation of a special Congressional committee to recommend further deficit reduction of up to $1.6 trillion (whatever it takes to add up to the total of the debt ceiling increase). This deficit reduction could take the form of spending cuts, tax increases or both. [Yeah “or both.” Hahahaha!]
*The special committee must make recommendations by late November (before Congress’ Thanksgiving recess) [Gee, what are the odds that will never happen?]
*If Congress does not approve those cuts by December 23, automatic across-the-board cuts go into effect, including cuts to Defense and Medicare. This “trigger” is designed to force action on the deficit reduction committee’s recommendations by making the alternative painful to both Democrats and Republicans [Oh, they’ll recommend cuts, like they’ll stop the “Let’s Cover the Moon with Yogurt” project, saving, what was it? Oh yeah, 15 billion!]
*A vote, in both the House and Senate, on a balanced budget amendment [And in the Senate I suppose that could very well be a vote to table it].
Updates Sunday:
ABC: Senate Defeats Reid Plan; Leaders Work to Finalize Deal Today
AP: Top Sen. Republican: deal very close on default
John Bolton: Debt-Ceiling Negotiations Leaving Defense Budget in Grave Jeopardy
I’m not going to say that Washington isn’t controlled by corrupt crooks, because it is. But I’ve got to take a slightly more generous stance with respect to whatever deal will be struck. This is because the debt ceiling is something of a formality, in that the money has already been allocated by Congress, and raising the debt ceiling is merely an acknowledgment of that ugly fact. Under other governmental systems, they don’t even bother to require this particular step. But since it so happens that America does have it, it’s been an opportunity to bring our fiscal catastrophe into focus, and maybe start the difficult political process of moving in the right direction. The inherent problem, as I said, is that the damage has already been done and is thus a certainty, whereas the solution is necessarily in the future, and thus is an uncertainty. And short of building a time machine, there’s absolutely nothing that can be done about that. Not to mention a psycho president and a psycho Senate; there’s simply a limit as to what can be expected from the House, even if they play their hand to perfection. Allen West seemed to acknowledge this troubling strategic reality, and he was thinking in terms of how this battle fits into the big picture of the war. Seems to me that West is getting it right, and I’ll be very curious to hear his specific analysis.
I’m sorry another 2.4 trillion in debt on top of the current debt is unacceptable. They never even tried selling assets to cover shortfalls, reduce non-essential spending, no , they took the lazy way out and just did what they’ve always done. Business-as-usual. Well I’ve had it.
Curious to see how we become un-bankrupt by borrowing more, taxing ourselves, hamstringing the energy sector. and smothering industry with regulations. Hope the smartypantses in DC can find their thinking caps.
It seems the congress is playing on the American publics ignorance of procedure making laws. Maybe we can’t change what THIS congress is heading into but, we can still vote in new leaders, for a new congress. The same old same old congress will never change.
This deal is a complete abdication of its responsibilities by the Congress, if it goes through. The idea that they need a committee to decide what is going to be cut or spent is crap. We elect Congress to be our “committee,” not some unaccountable gang of six congress critters.
I haven’t had much hope for much of anything good to happen since I heard Boehner gloating pre-election on Michael Medved’s show, and my lack of faith has been born out. Nothing is going to get done until we vote for people to go to Congress who will throw out the current leadership, and of course we vote out Obama for somebody with some balls…which of course narrows the field considerably.
The Morning After Monday Morning:
As usual, the American Taxpayers have been Smurfed over. I’m so Smurfing mad. Smurf them all! And that goes double for Urkel. That piece of Smurf. And all his Smurfing cronies, those Smurfing liars and thieves.
I’m all Smurfed out now.
posted 8/1 750am Texans(and Smurfs) for Palin Time.
I’m equally smurfed with all the shenanigans!
Oh what… the repubs dropped their pants again and obama used his unwritten plan (to wait the repubs out and use saul alinsky style comments watch them soil themselves)….The think I’m going to buy Stock in a new guillotine company being made in America …it’s going to be a well used future inventment……….I think the name of the company is SARAH PALIN INC!!!!!!!