Pelosi on "austerity" reminds me of Bill Hicks on "belt tightening."

[nashville_brook]

I'm sick to death of hearing about the deficit, and like so many times since W's tenure, I'm having a Bill Hicks flashback.

Someone in DC misspent our money, and now we have to tighten OUR belts.

I'm with Bill on this -- you want to eliminate the deficit? Legalize and tax pot.
http://youtu.be/zeXhW5QpVLA

Or, eliminate the Bush Tax Cuts on the wealthy. Or, eliminate one of the many wars we're fighting. The very fact that they're putting Social Security on the table, which has ZERO impact on the deficit; which is running a surplus for the next 20+ years; and is the only means that 2/3 of our seniors have to make ends meet -- the very fact that they're tossing all this into the pot PROVES that this isn't about solving problems.

It's about stealing our money. Again.



http://www.americablog.com/2011/07/pelosi-supports-reids-debt-plan-saying.html


Pelosi supports Reid’s debt plan, saying "It is clear we must enter an era of austerity"

Last week, at a blogger meetup on the Hill, Nancy Pelosi provided an outline for a debt plan that sounded a lot like what Harry Reid is proposing. TPM's Brian Beutler wrote about it here. So, it's not a surprise that Pelosi is supporting Reid's plan. But, the first line of her statement sure made me feel uncomfortable. I guess we can be happy that, unlike the President, Reid and Pelosi don't want to share the sacrifice by cutting by cutting Social Security and Medicare. Here's the statement:

“It is clear we must enter an era of austerity; to reduce the deficit through shared sacrifice.

“The President has called for a ‘grand bargain,’ which provides long-term deficit reduction based on shared values and sends a message of confidence to the markets.

“The latest proposal from the House Republicans is a short-term plan that burdens the middle class and seniors, and continues this debate about whether we will default in a few months from now.

“Senator Reid has put forward a responsible plan to reduce the deficit that protects the middle class, and Medicare, Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries. It also includes many proposals already supported by Republicans.

“We must come together for an agreement because our economy and middle class will suffer from a default.”

Republicans got us into the financial mess. Yet, they've completely defined the debate.

(snip)

[Left NYC]

1. As Krugman has been saying,

the Democrats have adopted the Republican talking point comparing the government to an average American family. It's ridiculous.

[nashville_brook]

4. especially ridiculous when the world is still willing to lend US $$ at bargain basement prices

[Initech]

2. I'm with Bill too - we need to end this madness!

[Obamanaut]

3. With the figures that have been published for the Pelosi wealth, one

wonders how much of the sacrifice she will actually share.

[nashville_brook]

6. this "shared sacrifice" meme is such horsepiss.

we've seen decades of austerity. our roads and bridges are crumbling and being sold off like biscuits at a bake sale. our schools have been ravaged. our cities can't make ends meet.

we know all about austerity.

[Armstead]

5. ENTER an era of austerity? Where do they think many people have been?

[TheKentuckian]

7. If this is what they got then I ain't buying

[mmonk]

8. You go ahead Nancy and enter that era of austerity.

I plan to fight the stupid sob ideology myself.

Good luck