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1. 

   Respectful Troll said, 6 months ago

   Several people I know were looking forward to Christmas. They were talking about gifts they wanted to buy to replace things in their house and maybe even a few luxuries. Now they are worried about Congress failing to act before Christmas and having to hold on to their resources. Congress is hurting small businesses and large by continuing this fight. They are also going to cause the “powers that be” to lower our credit rating. 98% of americans are going to be punished while conservatives protect 2%.
   I know taxing the wealthy is not THE solution, but it is part of an overall solution. There is no reason to tax the 98% for another two years while the legislators negotiate a bipartisan solution to go into effect as soon as possible. Every independent report I’ve read or heard states that allowing this fiscal stupidity to take place will put us back into recession and could put us into a depression.
   Is it really worth the risk?
   And why are there multinational companies able to call themselves small businesses? Americans want to protect Pete’s Deli, and Anne’s quilting shop, as well as Ray’s Garage. They don’t care so much about Price Waterhouse unless they work for that company.
   There are things we can do,but we have to put out this fire and start working together to make it happen.
   Respectfully,
   C.
2. 

   Ms. Ima said, 6 months ago

   It must be like some people just won’t pay their electric bill no matter how many times the company contacts them. They send the bill (every month, strangely every month in the mail), then calls them (most have a phone, strangely) then posting a note on the door. Then their electricity is shut off. Then the people call yelling they ’didn’t know’. Then they come up with an extra $35 or $75 to get re-connected. Then they play the same game every month. The electric company (and all utilities) would run more smoothly if people would just pay their bills and stop forcing us to waste our expensive time chasing them down for a hundred bucks.
3. 

   Chillbilly said, 6 months ago

   30 years of trickle-down economics. 10+ years of “Bush” tax cuts. Not much to show for it other than the boom years of the 90s. Wealth is dramatically concentrated in fewer households. The middle class is atrophying to the point where—even by GOP admission—47% of us are too poor to pay taxes (I know, this is a partial lie).
   .
   Now it’s a political crisis NOT AN ECONOMIC CRISIS. The GOP is fighting to preserve the only thing it’s faught for besides fringe social issues over the past three decades. If we go over the fiscal cliff and survive—or if only the rich do—then 30 years of GOP rhetoric is reduced to 19th century social issues being revisited.
   .
   I don’t understand, how with this under the microscope the GOP continue to resist just allowing Obama’s plan to go forward. If it does, and the economy improves BOTH parties can claim credit and the GOP can keep their pipe dream alive for another election cycle.
   .
   They’re teetering on irrelevence and still don’t get it.
4. 

   onguard said, 6 months ago

   @Chillbilly

   The Dem Lib Illusion(s) lives on.
5. 

   Jase99 said, 6 months ago

   @Ms. Ima

   That’s a stupid argument even for you.
6. 

   ARodney said, 6 months ago

   Ima, it’s the Republicans who won’t pay the bill. They wouldn’t pay for the Bush tax cuts, wouldn’t pay for two wars, wouldn’t pay for the medical corporation full-price give-aways in Medicare part D. Would it kill you, actually kill you, to ONCE pay for ONE THING?
7. 

   Rockngolfer said, 6 months ago

   I posted this elsewhere but here is the debt explained.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LcvLHHMC4iI
8. 

   Dredpiraterobt$ said, 6 months ago

   Bueller,
   .
   Krugman called for this last week. Maybe Thursday, definitely Friday. on the 9th
9. 

   Chillbilly said, 6 months ago

   This argument is already lost by the Republicans.
   .
   The tea party only appeals to the tea party.
   .
   PLEASE PLEASE OH PLEASE Republicans: Keep fighting for Grover Norquist. Please keep living in debunked Reaganomics. Please keep making your party more and more irrelevant until you all whither away into insignificance.
10. 

    Michael wme said, 6 months ago

    @Respectful Troll

    If the sequestration were really going to take place, the law demands that every defence contractor send out warnings to employees whose jobs might be sequestered no later than 2 Nov 12.

    
    2 Nov 12 has come and gone, and no warnings were issued, after President Obama assured the defence companies that no sequestration of defence spending would occur.

    
    If the current Congress of loyal patriots refuses to compromise with President Obama, nothing serious will happen on 1 Jan (or 2 Jan). No defence workers can be laid off (the law requires two months’ notice), and the increased taxes won’t be noticed until the end of the month, so the new and improved Congress has a month to reach a compromise and no one will be the wiser.

    
    And that’s what will almost certainly happen!
11. 

    Radish said, 6 months ago

    Its not a real cliff and its unlikely anyone will die.
12. 

    Eryx said, 6 months ago

    The GOP Congress created this mess, let them get us out of it.
13. 

    Fuzzy Thinker (I) said, 6 months ago

    The media said it is a crisis for only one reason:
    attracting people to view their advertisers.
    Stay tuned. ’ Cliff Hanging’ is an American entertainment staple.
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