Tag: john boehner

Fiscal Cliff Soap Opera Episode 2 – Standby

Just like “As the World Turns,” The Fiscal Cliff is a soap opera and it’s never over.  With that thought in mind a television network ought to provide daily updates with clips of the latest foolish words from the president and the congressional leaders of both parties.  This is evident by the news items that the next fiscal events to be confronted are sequestration and the debt ceiling with a backdrop of over spending.  However, we know that the settling of those issues will not be the end of the story.  Our elected officials seem to take a delight in providing the rolls of the devious, the treacherous, and the good guys.  Like a good soap opera you never know what the next installment will bring.

Gov. Chris Christie with President Obama

 “We are here for you. And we will not forget. We will follow up to make sure that you get all the help you need until you’ve rebuilt,” Obama said at an afternoon news conference.

 Sixty Billion Dollars was the proposed federal aid for Sandy Super storm victims.  Somehow the Speaker of the House overlooked that spending bill on New Year’s day.  N.J.’s governor Chris Christie went on the attack against Speaker John Boehner and the G.O.P.  After hugs and hand holding with the president and now this attack is Gov. Christie about to change political parties?  To me he seems more like a moderate Democrat than a Republican.

The facts:

  • Sequestration is $110 Billion out of a Federal budget spending plan of $3.8 Trillion.  That would be 110/3800 and that equals less that 3%. The 2013 United States federal budget is the budget to fund government operations for the fiscal year 2013, which is October 2012–September 2013.  The sequestration is scheduled to take effect March 1.
  • The debt limit ceiling will be reached at about the same time as the sequestration.  The Federal government borrows approximately 31¢ of every dollar spent.  The fiscally responsible are asking how long can America continue this borrowing pattern.  I am one of them.
  • The political parties fight each other even when they know the other group is correct.  When the speaker of the House tells the leader of the Senate “Go f*** yourself” you know the political system is in failure mode.

Democrats Have the Upper Hand

Tonight John Boehner, Speaker of the House, was unable to obtain a vote in favor of his “Plan B” to avoid the fiscal cliff.  This is surprising to me as the only people who would experience a raise in their marginal tax rates would be those with annual taxable incomes of over $1 million.

So Mr. Boehner confirmed to everyone that he does not speak for the Republican Party caucus when it comes to tax and budget legislation.  This leaves one slim chance for the Democrats to prevent falling of the cliff.  To accomplish this will require some Republican congressmen along with some Democratic congressmen that would result in a majority.  It is the opportunity for the President to push through legislation that would be more favorable to him with some compromise.

This can only happen with GOP participation.  That is the big “IF.”  The consequence of failure will be some sad days in January.

There is one thing we know.  This entire situation was caused by our broken political system.  Not just American but the rest of the world is wondering, what has happened to the United States?