Democratic officials: Fiscal ‘cliff’ deal reached
December 31, 2012 at 4:29 pm in Grand Forks Herald
Racing against the clock, the White House reached agreement with congressional Republicans late Monday on a deal to prevent across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts to government programs from taking effect at midnight, according to administration and Senate Democratic officials. Continue Reading

Dear Chinese President Hu Jintao ….
Like or Dislike:
15
10
Our politicians SAVED us AGAIN. Thank God. What would we do without them?
(Get along just fine, less drama, less bovine feces?)
Hot debate. What do you think?
24
10
a few less lap dances paid by lobbyists and special interest groups … a few less gropers … a few less ticked off Colombian hookers …
Hot debate. What do you think?
21
10
You don’t get good from the rot that is the current federal government.
Like or Dislike:
16
10
Looks like the deal is good for the economy (sarcasm smile).
Gold went up $18.90 overnight. Gold is an indicator when the US Dollar goes downhill.
All the printing of fiat dollars has caused gold to double, since Obama has become president. Looks like the fiat dollar will be kept being devalued, resulting in continued INFLATION.
Hot debate. What do you think?
19
15
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
13
24
I meant to like. Sorry.
Like or Dislike:
4
10
This window dressing makes me insane. Once again the can was kicked down the road for someone else to pay for. The tax increases are purely symbolic & will have a marginal effect at best on the revenue stream & the spending cuts are far to small to be effective. Once again the congressional leadership has failed the American people.
If the budget is to be balanced, there is going to have to be significant increases in revenue & draconian cuts to spending across the board. $2 in REAL spending cuts for every $1 increase in revenue.
Only then will we have any chance of preventing a real fiscal cliff scenario
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
27
4
Prior to all this media frenzy, the DOD, along with many other agencies were ordered to make significant cuts as part of the last budget deal. For the DOD that equated to over $480 million dollars.
ALL of the JCS, the civilian service secretaries, & the Sec Def were on C-SPAN explaining how these cuts were impossible under current law without impairing readiness & decreasing force effectiveness.
They told congress that in order to comply with the order they needed at least one & possibly two new rounds of base closings & an end to mandatory purchases the force does not need or want (the tanks that roll off the assembly line directly into moth balls, never having seen service because we already have more than we can use).
If we are to make any real headway, the war fighters & civilian leadership have to be allowed to do what the need to do in order to protect the country.
2013 must be the year NIMBY was removed from the American lexicon. If it is not, we are simply wasting time
Like or Dislike:
17
4
What a bunch of bums! Just like they did with unpopular obamacare, the Senate passes obama’s tax increase in the dead of night, in the wee hours of New Years Eve! Gosh, I wonder why? Our RINO’s caved again! The Congressional Budget Office says this bill increases taxes by $620 billion while reducing spending by only $15 billion! These Republicans aren’t conservative and they have no spine! We will see those RINO’s who violated their pledge of Allegiance to Grover Norquist not to raise taxes in their next primary! If Republicans planned on caving, why didn’t they just agree to this in November? You RINO’s don’t have any principles to defend so why did you go through all of this? We TeaPublicans just want you to do your jobs and defend our Constitution and shrink this government! The House will not go along with this huge tax increase on the wealthy! The rich earned every penny of their money and they don’t have to share it with anyone! House Republicans will stand up for America and will reject this fiscal cliff deal! After what just happened, I know we TeaPublicans will take back America in 2014 and 2016! And we will take back those RINO’s too!
Hot debate. What do you think?
19
25
Teapublican says, “The rich earned every penny of their money and they don’t have to share it with anyone! House Republicans will stand up for America and will reject this fiscal cliff deal”!
Teapublicans think southern slave owners earned all their money too. Just ask Rush Limbaugh and his 9 ancestors that served in the Confederacy.
Hot debate. What do you think?
28
25
There is nothing wrong with having ancestors who fought in the Confederacy. The problem lyes with believing the ideals they fought for were correct and relevant today.
That is a great segway into a very important fact: today is the 150 anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. It went into effect January 1, 1863. In doing so America began the long journey (not yet completed) towards realizing the promise of the American Revolution.
As for the rich keeping their money: when Romney pays as much as a percentage of his wealth/income as I do, then he has a leg to stand on. Until then, he is simply another welfare recipient taking his share from my (the middle class) backside.
Democrats give to the poor. Republicans give to the rich. There really is no difference when you are the one in the middle footing the bill.
Hot debate. What do you think?
19
18
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
10
22
Hit rewind and think that one through Spearman. You cannot choose your ancestors. Holding someone responsible for what their ancestors did is crazy. That is the whole push behind the reparations movement that most everyone (including Jesse Jackson) rejects.
You cannot choose your ancestors. You can only choose what you will do and think.
As for the Fighting Sioux, I am missing your point. I never said those that supported the name in 1968 were wrong. I said WE were wrong to support it.
As you so aptly pointed out: we do not own people or burn witches at the stake anymore. We have evolved as a society. Slavery was not outlawed in the constitution because the vast majority of Americans, both North and South, did not have a problem with it.
As the country grew and changed, those that had a problem became larger and more outspoken than those that did not. When the issue came to a head, those that believed slavery wrong won. If the war had stopped in 1862 (it almost did) slavery would have survived probably into the 20 century.
I don’t blame antebellum southerners for owning slaves. I blame swamp people today who want to go back to the good old days.
A big difference.
Like or Dislike:
12
8
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
6
18
You are talking out of your hat again Spearman. Native reparations has been tried several times; the last being just several months ago. In each case the reparations have failed to improve the lot of those it was intended to help.
The problems with the reservation system are so pervasive that it cannot be fixed in its present form. Reservations are nothing more than slow burning cultural & physical genocide . If we tried to pull this nonsense off in Bosnia the UN would send in peacekeepers.
Since autonomy/sovereignty is a cruel joke, & conditions on the Rez unacceptable, I’m interested in hearing your solution.
Like or Dislike:
8
6
So to put this in perspective Spearman: if we research your family tree & find a slaveholder (many Natives took & kept slaves), or a member of the US Army during the Indian wars, or an anti-Semite; we restrict you from the public dialogue? We take away your right to vote, or carry a gun, or legally enter into a contract (can’t get married) all on the bases of your past DNA?
Since America is a hodge lodge of inbreeding, I doubt you could find one single person whose family had been here more than a few generations who would pass your litmus test.
Like or Dislike:
13
5
Come on FN. did you type too fast before thinking about what you were typing. Giving to the poor and to the rich are the same? Even if you think it’s from your money how is there any good or honor in giving to those who already have so much more than they’ll ever need? Compared to those who often are hanging by a thread just to make it week to week or even day to day.
Maybe the country does need a depression for people to get their heads out of the anal cavity and realize that the wealthy are not on the side of the working class? Maybe the greed fest we seem to honor so much in this country will finally get the attention it deserves for how it’s a cancer on America.
How does your staunch religious beliefs accept such a philosophy that giving to the wealthy and poor is equally bad if it’s out of your taxes? I think this would be a very appropriate place for one of those WWJD moments…..
Like or Dislike:
13
13
“who violated their pledge of Allegiance to Grover Norquist.”
You identified the problem right there: we do not pledge allegiance to Grover. We pledge allegiance to America.
Grover is a flash in the pan. He was popular and now his popularity is waning.
Someone else will rise to take his place.
People are transient. America is more stable.
Like or Dislike:
18
7
We TeaPublicans are wondering just who in the heck do these Republicans legislators represent? I sure can’t figure it out! I know they don’t represent me. Hey Republican Congressmen, unlike obama and his followers, you don’t have to buy us TeaPublicans off with all those taxpayer paid for gifts! We don’t want any free gifts. We just want you to do your job! And if your not willing to do your job, would you PLEASE stop telling us that you will! You stick your big face on FoxNews and scream and shout about how you stand behind freedom and how smaller government is the answer! You shout about how government needs to practice fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget will save America from those liberals! You beg us for money because you say you believe in all these things. Oh Really? You either believe in TeaPublican principles or you don’t. Just get your fat butt on FoxNews and tell us the TRUTH and what you really believe. Then we can make a truly informed decision as to if we will support you or not! You have just agreed with obama to give us increased taxes and spending! You sure rolled over on this one didn’t you. Is there any wonder you had to wait until 2:00AM to vote on it? The House has to vote on it before it could become law. Do you think they will wait until 2:00AM to cast their vote too? We WILL remember you RINO’s come your next primary. Oh yes we really will! We TeaPublicans will take back America in 2014 and 2016. And we will take back those RINO’s too!
Like or Dislike:
11
17
You mean you finally woke up and realized that there is no difference between Democrats and Republicans? Welcome to reality TeaP.
I could have told you that ages ago. Both of the mainline parties are for spending money. The only difference is who is the beneficiary of their largess. When GWB left office the National Debt was larger than any other time in the history of the world. In fact, it was larger than all of the rest of the 200 year history combined.
Obama is the same.
As I said, both sides believe in spending money. The only difference is who is cashing the check.
If you want to see a real change, you have to vote Libertarian. There is no other party that even comes close to trying to accomplish what you are saying you want.
Like or Dislike:
10
11
Then stop trying to take over and/or change the republican party. Go ahead and make your own party on your own grounds.. What?? You say nobody would take you seriously??? Clue in, nobody takes you seriously.
You just like Grover will be nothing more than a bad distant memory.. If the republican party wants to bring back its base and start winning again, they will need to eliminate, eradicate and expel the radical people in its midst.
Like or Dislike:
19
9
Damn right….the problem with this and actually both parties is this crap of being able to draw districts that make it nearly impossible for one of the parties to win. I don’t understand how that even became an option, but it isn’t democracy what so ever and needs to go. It’s that very districting that has allowed the fox party to put their own wack job candidates like Bachmann in. Sometimes while throwing out long time candidates in the real GOP. That’s why the fox party has as much power as it does and for the sake of every voter on either side we need to eliminate that districting practice that basically discounts one party or another
Like or Dislike:
11
12
If you’re doing spoofs, then this stuff is down right hilarious. If you’re serious……You must be a fox party poster boy with all the talking points ready to go 24/7. My guess…..Just the same old troll that’s come back once again as a different character….You can change your character, but you keep sounding the same so you really aren’t fooling anyone
Like or Dislike:
9
11
We need to vote out Pelosi, Boehner, Cantor: Let’s make a stand and vote out these folks and all congressional incumbents- regardless of who they are or when they are elected. The Republicans and Democrats have been infested and crippled by special interest groups run by “Tea Partiers”, “Move-On” and the like. Anyone who thinks that one of the partys or the other has “the answers” is delusional, gullible and probably gets taken advantage of at car dealerships.
.
Like or Dislike:
11
4
Were you politically active in the 80′s? I remember the right wing battle cry to basically do what you’re saying. “Dump them all and then start over with term limits….” Then there was the big shake up where the Dems lost big time. Suddenly the idea of term limits went “Poof” into the air like they never where mentioned in the first place.
I know from your other posts that like me you too know the real limits we need is all that money in the election process. Unless we can get a handle on that……The working class is going to continue to spiral downwards. So much could be done by those who really are committed to the office they’re elected to…If only we can lighten the strings of the money merchants
Like or Dislike:
7
3
fine then… the richard slinging contest (aka fiscal cliff) is over. Is that better?
If I performed on my job duties like our congress did, I would have been shown the door a long time ago. But yet those nay saying clowns will continue to be re elected over and over, duping the average voters year after year, election after election.
Like or Dislike:
15
1
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
6
19
Capitalism/Democracy are the worst form of government … Except for all the rest.
Socialism only works in small countries that are racially, socially, & religiously homogenous. That is why it used to work in ND before the boom (state bank, state mill) & Sweden before immigration.
Once a country becomes too big or multicultural; socialism ceases to be an effective & efficient form of social control: which is the definition of govt.
Like or Dislike:
12
4
Socialism/Marxism/communism is by definition democracy. Everyone owns everything. Bourgeois democracy is capitalism, i.e., ownership by the capitalist bourgeois. That is those that employ 500 or more in their private business where they extract wealth from the employees for their own use
Like or Dislike:
6
15
We only have to look as far as the former Soviet Union and present day North Korea to see the marvels of communism as portrayed above. The communists replace the upper classes with a far more insideous upper class at the barrel of a gun ending in the graveyard or the Gulag if you don’t comply. “Democracy”? I guess there really is still sheep that believe in that communist drivel.
Like or Dislike:
13
5
I was in the former Yugoaslavia after it collapsed. Looks like this former Warsaw Pact country did really “well” under communism!
I could not believe the poverty there. People literally living under a rock. The Red Cross was there giving medical attention.
If anyone thinks that Communism is better than Capitalism, go to North Korea and then tell us about it.
Like or Dislike:
16
2
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
4
15
McCarthyism is alive and well in GF.
Like or Dislike:
4
6
All in all it’s a pretty miserable failure of congress to do it’s job. They should have to give their salaries back for the last 2 years to reduce the debt. If you don’t do your job then you are just taking up space and part of poor government performance. Congressmen in the GOP House always bitch about how our government doesn’t work. They are the poster children for bad government and the worst example ever of why our government doesn’t work. This isn’t over yet folks. This crap will go on for months.
Like or Dislike:
6
1
I want to switch to a parliamentary system. It is faster and easier to pass legislation, less stalemates. I hate this dragging their feet crap. I want decisions made in a timely manner…just like at home.
Like or Dislike:
8
8
How about bad descisions?
Like or Dislike:
8
3
One of these days I’m going to get fed up with you people and high-tail it out of here. Just wait and see. You’re too damn pokey and you bicker way too damn much.
Like or Dislike:
11
1
I hope you don’t mean here too,I would miss your comments.
Like or Dislike:
6
3
I appreciate the way they drop all pretense we see in congress of them respecting each other and basically say someone is being a dumb ass….In so many words. Not the “The distinguished so and so from Fart Blossom USA isn’t correct about that smelly idea”. It be more like, “Fart Blossom’s idea stinks like the crap pile it came from”. You know…Real “Reality TV” the way they really feel. And they yell stuff like that across the isle. Parliament is much more interesting to watch
Like or Dislike:
6
7
Well, they got it done. The House GOP members will probably have some choice words for the senate minority leader for handing them what they, I am sure, think is a terrible bill, but they had to vote on it. Done deal, and it’s not even midnight.
Like or Dislike:
6
8
a net 605B in new revenue without the balanced approach of 605B in real spending cuts. i do not see how any thinking american can feel good about this given that we are already spending $1.42+ for every dollar in revenue recieved.
Like or Dislike:
13
2