The sad thing is, we don't need to do any sort of deal on the fiscal cliff.

[MadHound]

What few people are saying is that the fiscal cliff is a contrived crisis, put in place by a Congress and WH that didn't want to stand strong over the debt ceiling crisis, so instead decided to put off the fight for a later day.

What few people are saying is that the only thing that needs to be done, absolutely, positively needs to be done before the end of the year is dealing with the Alternative Minimum Tax patch. Everything, every single thing, could be dealt with in the new year with a new Congress.

What few people are saying is that going over the fiscal cliff could actually be a good thing, if handled correctly. Face the fact, we need more revenue in this country, not just from the rich but from all of us. Clinton's tax rates didn't kill us or the country back in the day, it won't kill us now and make our debt situation all that much better.

Furthermore, going over the fiscal cliff will finally allow us to do something that hasn't been done in a long time, actually cut military spending. No, it wouldn't be as much as a lot of people want(me personally I want to start with cutting the military budget in half), but it would be a start.

The rest, the cuts in other spending, all of it, could be dealt with by the new Congress. The world won't end, the country won't go belly up, markets wouldn't crumble.

In addition, by showing some fight now, over this issue, by standing up to the 'Pugs and showing them that they can't play chicken again, that the President and the Dems will call their bluff, and thus make their future Congressional fights that much easier. Succumb once again to this tactic of governance by contrived crisis, and we're going to get hammered, again and again.

So let's do it, let's go over the fiscal cliff. It's a hell of lot better than cutting Social Security benefits and slashing more and more of the social safety net trying to please a group that simply won't be happy until it is all done away with.

[kentuck]

1. The "experts" are telling the President differently...

and we know who he listens to...

[a geek named Bob]

2. When we go over the fiscal cliff, I intend to hang-glide n/t

[vi5]

3. You're not thinking about what is important here..

And that is and should be Obama's legacy as a bipartisan, centrist conciliator who reached across the aisle and rose above the din and the noise. Because as we all know "both sides do it" and it's his job to split the difference.

Clearly that's all that's important to this president. And as such it is all that should be important to us as well.

[Autumn]

9. Well damn, by all means bring on the cuts, raise the age to 75

Cut to the fucking bone and lets really hurt the poor and elderly and Veterans. Make sure the wealthy keeps their tax breaks and give the MIC more money. Give boner everything he wants and more. Let's all suffer so Obama can have a legacy. Because that's what's important.

[vi5]

12. I hope you realized...

I was being sarcastic. I usually like to not include the sarcasm tag to see who gets it and who doesn't. But then I forget how many actual posts there are here that are sincere and serious, yet beyond anything parody could come up with.

[Autumn]

13. Okay I'm an idiot.

and I was sarcasm impaired. The thing is, there are some who really think that.

[vi5]

15. Frightening, isn't it? (n/t)

[freetrucker53]

4. yes

I say yes

[Teamster Jeff]

5. Hopefully we do go "over the cliff"

It seems to me that Boner and his gang of misfits are in total disarray and Obama is once again negotiating with himself (and losing).

[MadHound]

6. The real losers in these negotiations are we the people n/t

[Teamster Jeff]

7. No doubt nt

[Doctor_J]

8. Correct. This cave-in by Obama is completely voluntary

on his part

[Poll_Blind]

10. +1

PB

[Dawson Leery]

11. The entire Bush tax cut package and spending

are why we are here today.

Many of us opposed the cuts in 2001 as well as the spending increases.

[Harmony Blue]

14. The more they delay the expiration of the tax cuts

the more worse it will become.

They can't repeat the same mistake they did a couple of years ago or else they will be here at this same point again soon enough.

[mac56]

16. "this tactic of governance by contrived crisis"

This.

Bravo.

Reblogged.