Temporary bans lifted

Tyler and GCP you are released from the penalty box.  pl

Comments

[GulfCoastPirate]

That's nice but why did I get put in time out-out in the first place? I was personally attacked and others noticed and commented on it. Is one not allowed to defend themselves around here?

I have a question for the so-called conservatives that tend to gather around here. Cantor said today that the Republicans may trade cuts in entitlements (SS and Medicare)in exchange for the sequester. Why would Obama and the Democrats go for this from the conservative viewpoint? SS and Medicare are running surpluses and have large trust funds to tied them over for quite a while. When Cantor talks about 'unfunded liabilities' that's like the bank telling me my future earnings are no good in determining whether or not I can pay back my house loan. That my house is an unfunded liability. What kind of people believe such nonsense?

Mathematically, the Republicans are pulling a fast one on the public. Any surpluses on a yearly basis go into the trust fund (that guy named Reagan set it up this way) so if we cut entitlements all we do is increase the surplus which the Republicans borrow to fund their preferred discretionary programs (defense). This keeps them from having to raise taxes to pay for defense. Grandma and grandpa end up footing the bill for defense. Are the American people so mathematically illiterate that they believe Cantor and the Republican's nonsense? I'm curious.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/04/eric-cantor-entitlement-cuts_n_3703856.html

[Fred]

So is it a boy or a girl Tyler?

[Old Gun Pilot]

Off topic Colonel, but I highly recommend the new book by Allen Guelzo: "Gettysburg, the last invasion". It's one of the most detailed and best researched of the battle I've read. It pokes a few holes in some of the myths which have grown up in the last century and a half.

[Will Reks]

I'm not an economic conservative but I'll give this a go. First of all I'd say that entitlement cuts wouldn't strictly be in exchange for the sequester but rather in exchange for not shutting down the government. The reason that Cantor and his ilk propose such blackmail is that they know the Democrats (Obama) represent a weak-willed party that long-ago sold out its ideals to become part of the corporatist club.

The voters that primarily benefit from SS and Medicare make up most of the base voters for the Republican party. Current GOP strategy relies on convincing these voters that Obama and the Democrats want to take away these benefits and redirect them to the young, poor, and minorities who make up their base of voters. The House Republicans oppose such programs out of ideology but they are not political idiots. If they can fool Obama into making such cuts for them they can't lose.

[Richard Armstrong]

GCP,

There is apparently no analogue to "Stand Your Ground" here.

[turcopolier]

Richard Armstrong

none whatever. your presence here is entirely dependent on my good will. pl

[Medicine Man]

That sounds about right. There is a reason House Republicans have trouble spelling out exactly what domestic entitlements they want cut.