Thread in which the world laughs at America

[Asher]

Dude, you've said things that are false and/or misinformed several times already, and THAT'S why you have nothing to contribute.

Which things?

[Asher]

Yes, they started out with an arrogant, absurd and ridiculous position. BUT THEY AGREED TO A SANE COMPROMISE.

Even after their high opening offer they agreed to what, for them, was a huge amount of revenue. After getting that huge concession from them Obama pulled the rug out from underneath them and demanded more.

"for them, a huge amount"

You see what you want to see. No point discussing this any more with you.

[Hauldren Collider]

Ladies and gentlemen, the classic Asher: LOL USA is stupid -> Reject challenges with insults and falsehoods -> call people morons -> declare that the US is sinking like the Titanic -> insult a few more counterarguments -> suggest that people move to Canada.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

[giblets]

This might not be the right thread for this, but hey they're all ultimately about the same thing so:

To be honest, the idea that Republican intransigence on taxes is unreasonable completely ignores the fact that the only taxes that were ever laid on the table were completely irrelevant to the deficit. The reality is that the democrats don't want to raise taxes enough to fix the deficit, and they don't want to cut spending, either.

The Democrats asked for small tax increases because there was no way the Republicans would have agreed to anything large. Duh.

[Hauldren Collider]

Why even bother if the small tax increases are on the order of a few billion dollars? The only reason is to save face, and I'm thoroughly unimpressed by that motive.

[Asher]

To be honest, the idea that Republican intransigence on taxes is unreasonable completely ignores the fact that the only taxes that were ever laid on the table were completely irrelevant to the deficit. The reality is that the democrats don't want to raise taxes enough to fix the deficit, and they don't want to cut spending, either.

Because no one else wants to do it, I will.

Reid's plan called for $2.7T in spending cuts over 10 years.
Boehner's plan called for $1.2T in spending cuts and caps over 10 years.

How does that, in any way, support what you are saying? You guys build up the most absurd mental scenarios detached from reality and have no clue what's really going on, do you?

[DaShi]

The US' spending and addiction to debt is unsustainable. S&P was right to downgrade, Moody's just didn't have the balls. The US' plan seems to be "borrow some to pay off what was borrowed, then borrow some more". If you repeatedly paid off your credit card with other credit cards, I doubt you'd have a perfect credit rating...

This is one of the few things that Asher and I disagree with. Maybe I'm not his DL afterall.

[Asher]

Ladies and gentlemen, the classic Asher: LOL USA is stupid -> Reject challenges with insults and falsehoods -> call people morons -> declare that the US is sinking like the Titanic -> insult a few more counterarguments -> suggest that people move to Canada.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Fact is, your country is:
1) Fiscally inept
2) Massively obese
3) Ranking near the bottom of the developed world for life expectancy
4) Home to one of the highest murder rates in the western world
5) A place where people cry over a 6 week old fetus and openly express contempt to the idea that a 50 year old single mother should have the right to affordable medical care
6) NASCAR

You're all kinds of ****ed up. Don't even try to deny it.

[Asher]

This is one of the few things that Asher and I disagree with. Maybe I'm not his DL afterall.

Patriotism gets in the way of objectivity for many people.

[Elok]

Thanks for the link, Tupac. So, the rating downgrade really may be responsible for the screwy stock market business this week? I said the Euro-fiasco was esoteric mainly because it involves the whole EU and subsidiary gummints thereof, and some of the countries are totally hosed by debt while...Spain and Italy? are hovering on the edge somehow, apparently, and some EU agency is trying to contain the problem using some special procedure I can't fathom. So I just scratch my head, say "to hell with it," and go back to glaring at stories about the Tea Party wanting to cut all our spending that doesn't involve guns. I may not understand them entirely, but I can come closer.

[Asher]

Which things?

Still waiting.

[Tupac Shakur]

So, the rating downgrade really may be responsible for the screwy stock market business this week?

I wouldn't waste much time trying to figure out the reasons behind stock markets movements if I were you.

[OzzyKP]

I'm not a huge Krauthammer fan, but I thought this was an interesting column on how the coming Congressional select committee might plausibly achieve a grand bargain on debt reduction.

How the Super-Committee Can Strike a Grand Bargain

I remain extremely skeptical that the Dems will give enough on entitlements or the GOP on taxes for a bargain to be reached, but at least we'd get much needed tax reform before talks blew up if Krauthammer's plan were followed.

Seems reasonable.

Glad he didn't call for cutting the charitable deduction.

[Elok]

Yes, they started out with an arrogant, absurd and ridiculous position. BUT THEY AGREED TO A SANE COMPROMISE.

I was once on a plane where a guy had the pilot at gunpoint and said he was going to shoot if I didn't stab my wife to death. I asked if maybe I could just stab her in the stomach so she could be saved if we landed soon. He agreed, and I was going to do it when somebody suggested I could stab her in the arm instead, and I foolishly reopened negotiations. The crisis would have ended so much sooner if I hadn't been so foolishly intransigent.

[giblets]

Why even bother if the small tax increases are on the order of a few billion dollars? The only reason is to save face, and I'm thoroughly unimpressed by that motive.

Why not accept them in exchange for what you want if they're so trivial? Oh, because Republicans think delaying a debt deal until the last minute is worth it if they think Obama will look bad.