US Government Shutdown? Not any more!

[Cannot think of a name]

I've heard of this petition to arrest and try the House GOP leadership for sedition... and I think it's the first petition I've seen in a while that actually makes a compelling case.

Anyway, what are we debating, and where are my Condy-tacklehuggles?

Yeah...there was also a petition to build a death star...so...

[Gauthier]

True.
I believe it refers to Ayn Rand.

Try an image search

If there is such a thing as Ayn Rand porn, DO NOT WANT.

[Xsyne]

Neoconservativism has had no real presence in the Republican party for years.

Are you freaking serious?!

Neoconservativism died late in Bush's presidency, which, coincidentally, was the only time it was ever an actual force in the Republican party. Even then it was never popular. The Republican party has been dominated by paleoconservatives for the last several decades.

[Ashmoria]

Well, it was fun while it lasted.

US Government is still the same though.

At least we finally got a budget conference started. Who knows, maybe this won't be like the super committee and we'll get ourselves on a path that will balance our budget in a reasonable amount of time and prevent our entitlement programs from engulfing our country with their costs. We can only hope that the Congress works hard. They know that the likely punishment for this budget conference getting nothing done by its deadline (December 15th, I think.) is a credit rating downgrade by Fitch. And I hope the tea party doesn't want that.

a quick way to tell whether or not the committee has a chance is by who gets put on it. if its full of hardline tea partiers and highly disciplined democrats (like the last one was) it has zero chance of getting a deal. the good part being that failure this time doesnt mean another stupid automatic solution like sequester.

[Sociobiology]

Try an image search

If there is such a thing as Ayn Rand porn, DO NOT WANT.

rule 34

[Ashmoria]

If there is such a thing as Ayn Rand porn, DO NOT WANT.

rule 34

hey! it creates a good job for the skinny, homely pornstar wannabes. how else are they going to get onscreen jobs in their chosen profession?

[Dyakovo]

People still blame American budget problems on entitlement programs?

Currently, it's not a huge problem. But if baby boomers keep retiring at the rate they currently are for the next 2-3 decades, our entitlement programs and interest on the debt will engulf all of our revenue, meaning we'll have to finance our discretionary spending entirely by borrowing. The entitlement programs weren't set up for a huge elderly community. Fortunately or Unfortunately, that's what we're getting. We have to reform them - although not with the premium support idea, that's a bunch of crap - or our debt will eventually reach more than 200% of our GDP. And that's really bad.

The fix for SS is easy. Remove the cap on FICA and extend it to investment income such as interest and dividends.
Do that and future shortfalls are gone.

[Yue-Laou]

I hope the republican party will finally deal with the tea party crackpots. They're destroying the republicans with their infantile nonesense. I feel sorry for sane republicans like John McCain who have to put up with that crap.

[Sdaeriji]

Currently, it's not a huge problem. But if baby boomers keep retiring at the rate they currently are for the next 2-3 decades, our entitlement programs and interest on the debt will engulf all of our revenue, meaning we'll have to finance our discretionary spending entirely by borrowing. The entitlement programs weren't set up for a huge elderly community. Fortunately or Unfortunately, that's what we're getting. We have to reform them - although not with the premium support idea, that's a bunch of crap - or our debt will eventually reach more than 200% of our GDP. And that's really bad.

The fix for SS is easy. Remove the cap on FICA and extend it to investment income such as interest and dividends.
Do that and future shortfalls are gone.

I think the projections are that even if you just uncap it, you cover the shortfall. The idea of pinging investment income is good, but also a good thing to give up in a "negotiation."

[Yue-Laou]

Are you freaking serious?!

Neoconservativism died late in Bush's presidency, which, coincidentally, was the only time it was ever an actual force in the Republican party. Even then it was never popular. The Republican party has been dominated by paleoconservatives for the last several decades.

neoconservatism will never die

[Tsaraine]

Neoconservativism died late in Bush's presidency, which, coincidentally, was the only time it was ever an actual force in the Republican party. Even then it was never popular. The Republican party has been dominated by paleoconservatives for the last several decades.

neoconservatism will never die

That is not dead which can eternal lie, and o'er strange eons even death may die. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Reagan R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.

This thread, though ... I'm thinking the immediate need for it has passed, and aspects of American fiscal politics arising from it may now be better served by their own threads. At least until February, when this whole mess happens again.

~ Tsar the Mod isn't looking forward to that.