Nations pees its pants laughing.
Mitch “Fuck You Make Me” McConnell wants the President to lead on the debt. Let that sink in for a while:
“What we’re saying is that the biggest problem facing the country is our excessive spending,” McConnell told NBC’s David Gregory. “We’ve watched the government explode over the last four years. We’ve dealt with the revenue issue, and now the question is will the president lead? Why should we have to be bringing him to the table?”
Gregory pointed out that trillions of dollars in spending cuts had been part of last year’s Budget Control Act and Republicans had refused to accept significant cuts in entitlement programs as a part of a larger deals offered by Democrats going back to debt ceiling negotiations in 2011.
“You can re-litigate the past if you want to,” McConnell laughed. “I wish the president would lead us on the discussion rather than putting himself in the position of having to be dragged kicking and screaming to discuss the single biggest issue facing our future. You know, until we adjust the entitlements so that they meet the demographics of our country, we can’t ever solve this problem. The time to solve it is now.”
Come on, son. Just… no. I mean — we’re talking about this guy:
Sen. Mitch McConnell Said “The Single Most Important Thing” For Republicans To Achieve In The Next Congress Was Ensuring President Obama Was A One-Term President. “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell came under sharp attack from the White House and Democrats Tuesday for saying that his top priority in the next Congress is to ensure that President Barack Obama serves only one term. The Kentucky Republican made the statement during an interview with National Journal. But it’s a variation on a line he has been using as he has stumped the country on behalf of Republican candidates in advance of the Nov. 2 midterm election. ‘The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president,’ he said in the interview.” [Louisville Courier-Journal, 10/26/10]
And this guy:
New York Times: Before President Obama Even Took Office, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Devised A Strategy To Deny Democrats Any Republican Support On Major Legislation. “Before the health care fight, before the economic stimulus package, before President Obama even took office, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader, had a strategy for his party: use his extensive knowledge of Senate procedure to slow things down, take advantage of the difficulties Democrats would have in governing and deny Democrats any Republican support on big legislation. Republicans embraced it. Democrats denounced it as rank obstructionism. Either way, it has led the two parties, as much as any other factor, to where they are right now.” [NYT, 3/16/10]
And this guy:
During Debt Ceiling Debate, McConnell Said He “Refused To Help Barack Obama Get Reelected By Marching Republicans Into A Position Where We Have Co-Ownership Of A Bad Economy.” “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), under siege from conservatives over his opt-out proposal for the debt ceiling debate, defended the idea in crassly political terms during an interview on Wednesday morning. The Kentucky Republican, appearing on Laura Ingraham’s program, repeatedly pointed to the political toll that congressional Republicans endured during the mid-’90s when they squared off against then-President Bill Clinton over government spending. ‘[W]e knew shutting down the government in 1995 was not going to work for us. It helped Bill Clinton get reelected. I refuse to help Barack Obama get reelected by marching Republicans into a position where we have co-ownership of a bad economy,’ McConnell said.” [Huffington Post, 7/13/11]
And this guy:
Washington Post: While President Obama “Seemed To Speak For Revolted Americans” During Debt Ceiling Debate, McConnell Said The Default Issue “Was A Hostage You Might Take A Chance At Shooting…It’s A Hostage That’s Worth Ransoming.” “After it was all over, Obama seemed to speak for revolted Americans — the kind of people who always want a new Washington — when he described the government as ‘dysfunctional.’ But at the Capitol, behind the four doors and the three receptionists and the police guard, McConnell said he could imagine doing this again. ‘I think some of our members may have thought the default issue was a hostage you might take a chance at shooting,’ he said. ‘Most of us didn’t think that. What we did learn is this — it’s a hostage that’s worth ransoming.’” [Washington Post, 8/2/11]
I mean, really.
Go ahead, Mitch — continue to cry about how the president done did you wrong. It must be very sad for you, considering that you failed at your only goal over the last four years — making Prezzy O a one-term president. Ouch. That’s got to sting a bit.
But we’re tired of you. So when you’re done crying, take your jowls and go home, sir. Or maybe, find a place that sells necks, and buy yourself one.
Treat yourself.
[via Raw Story; WaPo; barackobama.com]
[cross-posted at ABLC]
The Dangerman
Hate to go OT right off the back, but I’m surprised RG3 is walking off the field; that looked ugly.
Speaking of ugly, McConnell (ok, reaching here to get back on topic, but one takes what one gets).
RinaX
Ha, McConnell knows he’s fucked, and all of the combined “both sides do it” force from our liberal media won’t be able to save him or his party this time. He can’t corral those crazy mofo’s, and he knows it.
El Caganer
“Adjust entitlements to meet the demographics of the country?” That wouldn’t, by any chance, translate into “cut off people of poorness and people of unwhiteness,” would it?
karen marie
Hahahahahahahaha! Thanks for this!
c u n d gulag
Don’t you just love when yet another politician, who, when W was President, put on the “Double Huskey – Plus” deficit pants, with the expandable waistline, and now wants everyone else to tighten their belts?
What an ugly, old, white, wrinkly,speed-bump, not only to this nation’s progress, but maybe even to this nation’s survival as something other than the world’s best armed Banana Republic – all thanks to Banana’s Republicans like Mitch “Yertle, The Anti-gay, Gay Turtle” McConnell!
scav
Toddlers are so cute when they emerge from their parents’ closet in the big shoes and baggy clothes, pretending to be the grown-ups and all, putting daddy in Time Out.
Jay C
Leaving aside the issue of Sen. McConnell’s apparent obsession with avoiding even the surface appearance of “owning a bad economy” (and repeated polls have shown what success he and the GOP have had trying to dump the whole responsibility on President Obama) – his “solution” is pretty chilling:
IOW, “let’s balance the budget by shortchanging children, the sick and the elderly” until “demographics” (i.e., they all die) takes care of the problems….
redshirt
Yertle McConnell is growing on me – he’s kinda cute! Here’s some lettuce, little Yertle.
Just Some Fuckhead
shorter mcconnell: we want to murder a bunch of poor people but we don’t want our fingerprints on it
chopper
lol, the president needs to lead on this issue that is completely congress’s creation and congress’s problem.
Robin G.
He’s much more likable and attractive as a turtle.
Boudica
I don’t usually watch MTP, but caught some of this segment this AM. And confirmed for me that I should continue not watching MTP. Could he say something other than “blame the President” over and over?
Roger Moore
One more example of exactly why filibuster reform needs to be at the absolute top of the list for any Democratic Senator who wants to accomplish anything in the next two years.
Frankensteinbeck
These are but the winds from a turtle’s ass, ABL. He lost, and he knows it.
SiubhanDuinne
@redshirt:
Would it be okay to paint pictures on his shell?
xian
What’s great is that Obama had realized he needs to be in full campaign mode, framing the debate, and this is the best McConnell can come up with to oppose him.
Josie
I sincerely wish some journalist (I know, I know) would ask him exactly what he means by this.
Roger Moore
@SiubhanDuinne:
Can we turn him into turtle soup?
SiubhanDuinne
@chopper:
Here’s the thing. If the President did “lead,” McConnell and his tortilian colleagues would be screaming about unwarranted and unconstitutional (and probably uppity, also too) Executive overreach.
cckids
I wasn’t following politics as closely as I do now back in the time of George II, but did any Democratic Senators speak of him in such a disrespectful, dismissive tone? I mean, the guy was letting his evil minion Cheney run the country, spent over 1/3 of his time on vacation & couldn’t speak 2 sentences sounding like a competent adult, but I don’t remember this level of . . . whatever goes beyond disrespect, I guess.
Do they realize what they sound like? I’m quite sure they don’t give a shit the damage they do to the country & its image. Just asshats, all of them.
jp7505a
Yes Obama should lead on the debt limit – ‘Give me a clean bill raising the debt limit for 3 years or I will invoke the 14th amendment option. You don’t like that, well see ya in court’.!!!!!! now that is leading
Turgidson
Oh yeah, that blast from the past where McConnell claims he avoided having the Republicans take on “co-ownership of a bad economy.” Yeah, assface. You have SOLE ownership of it. Dipshit.
Roger Moore
@SiubhanDuinne:
I don’t think they’d be screaming about the uppity part, except in their inner dialog. They managed to get through the 2012 elections without using the N-word to describe Obama, so I think they can restrain their desire to call him uppity now.
SiubhanDuinne
@Roger Moore:
Soup of the evening, bee-YOO-tiful soup.
redshirt
Here’s a question for those more knowledgeable than I: Would SS be completely funded in perpetuity if we removed the cap on taxation?
scav
no discussion of Turtle Soup is complete without the QI discussion of Giant Tortoises.
Nutella
@chopper:
I think the president could lead on this. All he should say, over and over, is “You passed these budget authorizations and now you won’t pay for them. No take-backs!!”
Or possibly list the bills that they passed and are refusing to implement and dare them to vote down the bills they pretended to be for.
Frankensteinbeck
@SiubhanDuinne:
He is leading. He told them to raise the debt limit like friggin’ adults without any riders attached, the way we did it for decades before McConnell got his panties in a twist. No, the recent Republican twist is to define ‘leading’ as ‘leading the process of gutting the safety net’. Any other leading they consider unserious and not actually leading. This flies beautifully with Punditocracy, who really think that more suffering will Build Character for the poor.
Bob In Portland
Where are all the teabaggers who were demanding that the government keep its hands off of their Medicare? Didn’t the Koch Brothers pay for the bus?
Elie
Its just really sad. NO Republican leadership of any note exists. He is just going through the motions cause someone has to…
No one has said directly, how hollow and vain the Romney candidacy was. He left his party weaker and more estranged from the levers of power than anyone could have imagined. Add to that, after all that Mormon fap, that he didnt have the soul to even wish the people of the Northeast well after Sandy — or make any statement of kind support after Newtown. He was like nominating cancer as your candidate. All he presented was death and suffering..
cckids
@redshirt: I’ve read that if the cap was completely removed, SS would be solvent for 75 years. Which pretty much means forever; you can’t accurately budget plan out that far. Don’t know if it is true, though, I’ve just seen that number out there more than once.
Roger Moore
@SiubhanDuinne:
No soup for you, Mitch McConnell.
piratedan
Mitch is absolutely correct, look at our profligate spending on those moochers, so The Prez brings to the table the following:
Axe Oil Subsidies – after all, no reason to support the most profitable business sector there is, think of the savings in bought federal legislators alone!
Axe the tax credits for organized sky buddies – let the Lord provide those who are worthy, after all Jesus saves, why not the US taxpayers as well?
No tax breaks for American businesses who bank exclusively overseas – America First, fuck yeah!
or was this not what Mitchie had in mind?
Roger Moore
@Frankensteinbeck:
They want him to lead in about the same way a ram lead a classical warship. They want to steer, and let Obama take the damage.
jp7505a
@redshirt: I rememeber reading that lifting the cap would solve the problem for 75 years on one of Ezra Klein’s lists of better ways to fix entitlements.
But then the fee-fees of the job creators would be hurt and they would have to move to Russia.
the Conster
Anyone who’s seen Breaking Bad knows exactly what to do with the turtle and McConnell’s head.
wenchacha
@El Caganer:
Sounds an awful lot like “reduce salary for Senators and House members, as well as cutting pension payments to all retired members by 80%, to be more in line with non-politicians.”
gene108
@RinaX:
McConnell did just fine corralling Senate Republicans to vote to avoid the fiscal cliff. McConnell can manage his end of the Senate fairly effectively.
It’s the “Tea Party” lunatics in the House of Representatives he and apparently no one else in politics has any control over.
Of course McConnell doing what politicians are supposed to do: Get legislation passed, has led to rumblings of a 2014 primary challenge from some right-wing nutjob.
redshirt
So, based on input, here’s three easy steps to fix all our fiscal concerns with a minimum of pain:
1. Remove cap on SS
2. Remove oil subsidies
3. Reduce Defense budget by 5%
All easily doable, all actions that would address many concerns and produce long term benefits.
So it will never happen.
Comrade Dread
Shorter: I wish Obama would propose sweeping SS and Medicare cuts that we could use in campaign ads in 2014.
Baud
Maybe Obama can lead by appointing Ashley Judd to head a new deficit commission?
Citizen_X
Oh, but don’t ever call them terrorists or criminals. That would be uncivil.
And incompetent, to boot. If you’re not willing to shoot your hostage, then what are you playing at by taking a hostage?
gf120581
To be fair to McConnell (something he doesn’t deserve, but I’m a nice person), beneath his dour tortise exterior, the man is probably scared witless. He knows that since he spearheaded the fiscal cliff deal (with Biden no less, the grinning imp to Obama’s Anti-Christ in their views), he has guaranteed himself a serious primary challenge next year. And while he knows the debt ceiling will have to be raised (he’s voted for such things a ton of times in his tenure in the Senate), he knows such a thing will make the teabaggers bay for his blood even more. He’s walking a tightrope right now and trying to thread a very narrow needle. So such bellicose rhetoric is to be expected from him as he tries anything to placate them.
You know what? I’m not that nice. Screw you, Yertle, fall of the stack and into the mud. I don’t care.
RinaX
@Elie:
On Romney:
Beautiful.
That’s actually who I was referring to, sorry. Neither he, Boehner, or any other Republican of note can do anything with them. I also don’t think they’ll give a shit what their so-called Wall Street masters have to say. True believers don’t give a shit.
burnspbesq
Yanno, i kinda hope the Dems in KY run Ashley Judd against ol’ Mitch in 2014. Every time I think about the possibility of a debate between those two, I start giggling.
jp7505a
@redshirt: I would add one qualifier. It is nuts to plan on reducing a 1 trillion dollar deficit caused in large measure by the weak economy. Once the economy has recovered to normal levels of growth and employment, then look at ways to reduce the remaining deficit. It’s a lot easier to reduce a 300 billion dollar deficit without hurting people in need than it is a 1 trillion dollar deficit.
The GOP isn’t really concerned about the deficit. What they want to do is eliminate the safety net entirely. They have been after soc. sec. since 1935, medicare since 1965 and now Obamacare. The goal is to have a federal government which consists of the defense deptartment/contractors, congress and what ever subsidies the oil industry/bankers/etc feel are necessary to add to their bottom line. It isn’t very complicated. The government should only be in the business of transferring wealth from the 99% to the 1%. It is the natural order of things.
Patricia Kayden
Well, let’s see how President Obama and Democrats handle McConnell’s demands. I’ve already heard pundits claim that President Obama has lost his post-election leverage based on how he handled the fiscal cliff negotiations. I think they’re forgetting that the Repubs are not that popular right now with the American public. I can’t see them getting anything positive out of acting like fools about the debt ceiling.
A. Moore
Hay Ashley Judd, please decide to run against that old racists turtle McConnell, I think you can beat him. I’m not from Kentucky but I am willing to do whatever I can to help a Judd campaign, including donate.
Kyle
@redshirt:
Slash “Homeland Security” and other Security State pork. Stop buying armored assault vehicles and other Big Brother overkill crap for small-town police departments.
Legalize marijuana and tax it like tobacco. Adds revenue and reduces cops/courts/prison spending.
Abolish government-paid health care for Congress. Let them go deal with the joys of buying private insurance if they think it’s so awesome for everyone else. And slash their pensions so they are “competitive with the private sector”, i.e. pathetically small.
Slash Israel’s welfare check by $500k for every new apartment they build in the West Bank. Maybe we can’t stop them, but we can make it a lot more expensive to do so.
A. Moore
@Patricia Kayden: I’m amazed at why anyone would pay any attention to these two bit cable pundits,remember alot of these pundits told us that President Obama had no chance of being re-elected. not with unemployment being so high, the economy being in bad shape, and the Democrats were not as excited to get out to vote 2012, not like 2008. All this come from those know it all pundits, well I think we can honestly say the pundits didn’t know a dam thing then and they don’t now.
redshirt
@Kyle: Those are fairly complicated solutions – lots of politics.
I agree with all of them though. But don’t think they’re pragmatic at this time. First, smash the Republican party and crush the Teabaggers. Then, Liberal Paradise.
Ruckus
@chopper:
completely congress’s creation and congress’s problem.
You are half right. It is all our problem, because the fucking moron rethugs are holding their breaths till we all turn blue.
Mike G
@jp7505a:
Republicans:
Once the economy has recovered to normal levels of growth and employment, then look at ways to
reduce the remaining deficitcut taxes on the rich and boost Pentagon spending.jp7505a
@Mike G: OH that is the GOP plan even if the economy looked like 1933
JWL
I don’t understand why congressional democrats are averse to using the term “rule or ruin” in describing the republican party. As those remarks proved clear, it’s certainly not for lack of being able to throw the GOP’s own words back in their teeth.
liberal
@Kyle:
Better yet, since we have no national security interest at stake, why not just stop giving Israel money completely?
rikyrah
So Does This Work?
Josh Marshall-January 6, 2013, 7:20 PM
Sen. Minority Leader McConnell reiterated his position this morning: Government will shutdown unless President makes dramatic cuts to Medicare and Social Security.
In other words, big cuts to key social insurance programs are not only the price of avoiding what would likely be a catastrophic government shutdown (a real one, not like what we had back in the 90s). But Democrats must also shield Republicans from the political consequences of cutting these programs by cutting them on the Republicans behalf.
That’s a pretty big ask, no?
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2013/01/so_does_this_work.php
Sir Nose'D
The solution seems pretty simple. When the Turtle takes the debt ceiling hostage, surround the Capitol with SWAT teams. Use a hostage negotiator to open dialog. Offer concessions as goodwill, but put the Turtle and his henchmen on a timetable. If they fail to comply, go in behind some flash grenades, take your prisoners, and haul them off.
I’ve been to countries where this is how legislators are treated if they pull small shit–nothing as epic as what the Turtle is proposing.
xian
@redshirt: the only real issue is medicare/medicaid, which are driven by health insurance costs, which Obamacare (in particular IPAB) “leads” on dealing with, but of course the GOP opposes those measures.
xian
@Comrade Dread: feel me once… won’t get fooled again
magurakurin
@redshirt:
Indeed. Good ideas all around.
Raising the caps will be hard ,of course, but it sure seems like the cap should go up to 400k now. Afterall, that’s middle class income according to the Republicans. Not rich at all, we’ve heard again and again. Making it on 250k while living in Chelsea is akin to being nearly homeless, they say. So, pay the FICA tax on all your income like all the rest of the poor schlubs.
jp7505a
One more terrorist in favor of a gov’t shutdown’Rep. Matt Salmon (R-Ariz.) appeared on CBS’ “Face The Nation” on Sunday, voicing firm support for a suspension of government services’.
I wonder what these poor souls will do once they have reduced government to the defense dept and tax breaks for the rich? Their entire reason for being will have come to an end. Poor slobs
TS
@Sir Nose’D:
Boehner saying “I need this job like I need a hole in the head.” (wsj)
Seems somehow in line with your suggestion.
rikyrah
@burnspbesq:
you’re not the only one. I don’t think she can win, but to make that assclown stand on a stage and actually debate her would make the 2014 political season for me.
redshirt
@xian: That is a trickier beast. Not unsolvable, but complicated, and thus vulnerable to Wingnut machinations.
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge
All Obama has to do on the debt ceiling is to say:
“I will take the lead of the sainted Ronaldus Maximus (PBUH) when he wanted to spend money Congress wouldn’t let him have—I’ll sell modern weapons to Iran.”
The resulting coronaries and brain aneurysms would reduce the “no” vote sufficiently for the increase to pass.
Lojasmo
Obama:
“every cent of the debt was voted for by congress. I encourage them to vote to uphold their obligation”
Full stop.
majii
Imani, girl,
You do have a way with words! I love this because it says it ALL:
“But we’re tired of you. So when you’re done crying, take your jowls and go home, sir. Or maybe, find a place that sells necks, and buy yourself one.”
“Treat yourself.”
zizi2
Please Proceed, Senator
Odie Hugh Manatee
@wenchacha:
I would like to see congressional pay tied to the median wage of those who make $250K (sounds like a good starting point) or less. If they want to get paid more then it’s in their interests to implement policies that benefit their constituents and improve their earnings.
It makes sense so it’s a pipe dream but hey…
Betsy
@Elie: @Elie: OMG, ROMNEY, I haven’t even thought about him in like a month!
ET
He is a joke. And he has no pride.
BlueNevada
I can’t imagine what it would be like to wake to his face in the morning. Ack!
AA+ Bonds
. . . I don’t even know what this could mean in this context. “Re-litigate”? Trial lawyers? Judges or something? Who knows?
If we could take McConnell to court for his liability it would have already happened. . .
xian
@AA+ Bonds: yeah, like every new debate is a clean slate. sorry, McConnell, we’re pocketing that revenue and we’re going to ask for more. Or do you want to re-litigate the shut the fuck up?
13th Generation
We get it. You hate white people.
Here’s a timely link for you, that is, something new and novel to you, I’m sure you’ll get a kick out of it.
http://news.yahoo.com/rand-pauls-son-arrested-003334784.html
Humble Lurker
@13th Generation:
The fuck…?
Yutsano
@Humble Lurker: Haterz gotta hate. But he’ll defeat that black woman with all her blackness yet!
serena1313
Between 1939 & 2010 Congress raised the debt ceiling 89 times without a fuss. Sure some lawmakers voted against it knowing their vote was “symbolic,” but prior to 2011 no one ever even dreamt of holding the good faith & credit of the US hostage. It simply was not done because defaulting on our loans would not only damage our credit rating & our economy, but the entire world economy as a result thereof.
We need to be talking about jobs & growing the economy. Until that happens we will continue careening from one manufactured Republican economic crisis to another. That is not a solution; it is extortion/blackmail!
Jay in Oregon
@Comrade Dread:
Bingo! If they want the fucking cuts so badly, they can own it.
Of course, we’re talking about the same people who can’t even oust their own current Speaker of the House unless they can find 24 friends to hide behind, so “Profiles in Courage” they are not.
xian
@Humble Lurker: racist troll is racist?