What, Exactly, Is So Fucked About This Debt Deal?

[Fozzledick]

Posted by Eli Sanders on Wed, Aug 3, 2011 at 9:34 AM

Slog reader Rebecca writes:

Eli,

This debt ceiling thing has me so mad, and so depressed. It's got me so mad and so depressed that I can't coherently explain why it's bad in the first place! My emotions have blocked me of thought! So can you help me? Can you give me some talking points? Just what makes these GOP-ers so awfully leofucktarded? Why does this plan suck so bad? I know I'm not the only one who has a bad taste in her mouth that she cannot explain. Ok, that metaphor was maybe asking for a joke. Sorry. See? I'm depressed and incapable of smart-people speech. Stupid Republicans.

Thanks,
Rebecca

I'm slammed this morning, so: Sloggers, help her out? How does one describe, in simple terms, what's so fucked about this debt deal?

Many comments at http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/08/03/what-exactly-is-so-fucked-about-this-debt-deal

I just couldn't resist the headline. :evilgrin:

My own feeling is that we know we've been robbed, but we haven't figured out everything that's missing yet.

[snooper2]

1. Obama is assocaited with it..

It's all it takes these days..

[William769]

4. And thats a shame.

Greatness squandered.

[TheKentuckian]

6. I pretty clear on why the "deal" is raw as are the folks who tend to be correct about economics

and even some of those that voted 'yea' but felt like they had no other direction to go and are desperate to avoid the risk of default.

Supporters seem more hazy. They are so intent on cutting the military they don't care much about what the trade offs are and don't worry about the reduction of demand, and of course Obama GOOD.

[snooper2]

9. As long as the Far Right and the Far Left are both bitching about it

I'm good...

[Armstead]

12. And where doyou define "far left" perchance?

[snooper2]

15. Folks who think capitalism, who wince even when they see the word, is pure evil

Folks who think socialism is the best form of government...

Folks who think a $20 minimum wage would actually work

Folks who think we should be able to retire at 55 and live for 45 years off Social Security

Folks who think Kucinich can solve all of our problems

Folks who think the airplanes on 911 were controlled by one of these :rofl:

[Armstead]

17. Thank you. I don;t agree with all of your definitions, but appreciate the response

Seriously.

[marions ghost]

18. ha ha

:rofl: whta a load a :rofl:

[No Elephants]

21. The far left are Communists, period.

[TheKentuckian]

20. Sound policy is not ordering a medium beverage regardless of how tiny

or oversized the small is or how gargantuan or undersized the large is.

That is just simple and unwise. Somebody seems too caught up in Goldilocks and the three bears and to disengaged or trusting to think for themselves. You do realize those poles may or not be evenly placed from mystical center and can mean very different things or be a few hair's breadths away depending on framing?

[No Elephants]

24. Yeah, that "logic" really stands up to analysis.

[No Elephants]

27. +1

[MzShantal]

10. Sipping tea, eh?

Seems to me it was the teabaggers and repukes who said, 'either you let me kill the recovery or I will kill the recovery.'

[No Elephants]

26. What recovery were they talking about again?

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Read Sen. Sanders' letter:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1665132

Nobody is a better advocate for working Americans than he is.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. +1

[snooper2]

5. Although nobody can predict exactly what programs will be cut and by how much

Although nobody can predict exactly what programs will be cut and by how much because those decisions will be made over the coming months and years by the appropriation committees, here’s what working families can look forward to:



And then he proceeds to go on a diatribe on everything "it is likely" will be cut. Pretty fucking disingenuous if you ask me.

[tblue]

8. The Super Committee will likely deadlock

and there will be across the board cuts on the Big Three and everything else. Should they reach a deal, the Repubs have already sworn its members will oppose any and all tax hikes, so any deal struck will be of more cuts. Also in the deal already are a 2% cut to Medicare providers and a change in loans to graduate students to begin accruing interest immediately instead of 6 months post graduation, as has been the case. There's more I'm sure you can find if you search around. Regardless of any of this, we are left with acute anxiety and insecurity. If the president negotiated a good deal, why doesn't he tell us how that is so?

[Armstead]

13. And there is something wrong with warning about likely possibilities?

Is it kinda like those "far left whackos" who warned about the likely consequences of financial deregulation in the 1990's?

Oh yeah, we had a little financial crash a couple of years ago as a result.

But those awful leftists are just Chicken Littles.

Nothing to see here, citizens. Just move on.

[No Elephants]

28. I can't recall a single time Sanders has been disingenuous.

Wish to God Obama were as straightforward as Sanders.

[No Elephants]

25. +1

[McCamy Taylor]

7. Twelve people will decide our future. That's not democracy.

[No Elephants]

29. Thank you. Nor is it what Constitution lays out re: passage of a law.

The Constitution contemplates voters would be able to hold lawmakers, including the President, accountable.

However, politicians want political cover. It's the Quasoi-Unconstitutional Super Cowardice Cat Food Committee Expialadocious

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Chimichurri]

14. The Super Congress is my biggest issue.

[slackmaster]

16. THE AIRPLANE HAS CRASHED INTO THE FUCKING MOUNTAIN111!!!111!!!

:nuke:

[Major Hogwash]

19. The cuts to Medicare and Medicaid are the worst part.

The Tea Party members that will be part of the Super Committee are going to demand changes to those 2 federal programs, not just cuts.
There won't be any cuts or slowing down of the growth to the Department of Defense.
The wars will continue long after the year's end.

Other than that, it didn't have to happen this way.
We could have raised the debt ceiling limit last December when we had majorities in both houses of Congress before the Tea Party members were sworn in to office.

[No Elephants]

22. Ask the Democratic Progressive Caucus why they didn't vote for it.

[Octafish]

23. The rich get a free ride and the rest of us are indentured peons for eternity.

Oh. And ending the wars is permanently off-limits.

Other than that, it's win.

[Number23]

30. This thread just made my week

Thank you SO MUCH for this. "Rebecca" just summarized the thought of 2/3 of GD (if you replace "Republicans" with "Obama" of course) in one wildly incoherent and hilarious paragraph.

Off to read the answers which I'm sure are just... illuminating. :rofl: :rofl:

[Fozzledick]

31. Kallisti!

:yoiks: