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Even the CBO Snubs Ryan’s Budget Plan

Bruce Krasting's picture




 

 

Congressman Ryan laid huge egg today with his budget. What's wrong with this guy? Can’t he count votes?

The proposal by Ryan is to end Obamacare. While there might be some merit to that notion – it ain’t going to happen. The Senate is controlled by the Democrats, and Obama would veto anything that came close to scrapping the cornerstone of his administration.

So don’t even bother to read the budget that the Republican’s have put up. It will not see the light of day. It was just a show pony for Ryan.

I went right to Ryan’s numbers for Social Security. How much of a reduction in benefit payments is he calling for over the coming decade? ZERO. ZIP. NADA. How to describe this obvious political dodge of responsibility: Gutless? Weak? Spineless? Chicken-hearted? Cowardly? Wimpy? How about pusillanimous (lack of courage)?

Ryan spent two of the 90 pages of crap on happy talk about Social Security. He wants to strengthen it. But he doesn’t say how, or even why. He even had the balls to quote FDR on SS. His proposal is to establish a “Presidential Commission”. Screw that idea; we did that three years ago. Nothing came from it.

 

The Ryan plan got the heave-ho from the Congressional Budget Office. I was amazed to see that the folks who are tasked to look at significant proposals basically said they were too busy.

 

cbo

 

The Republican jerks have squandered an opportunity to come up with anything that is even remotely feasible. Next up will be the Democratic version of Utopia. I suspect that the Senate version of a budget will be similarly out of touch with reality.

 

When will S&P say "enough-is-enough", and drop the US credit rating another notch? Given that there is no leadership at all, the folks at S&P must be thinking about how to respond. Last time it did not matter a damn that the rating was dropped. I don’t think the country will be so lucky the second time around.

 

No

Guts

 

 

I Wanna

Barf

 

 

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Tue, 03/12/2013 - 22:24 | 3324715 CompassionateFascist
CompassionateFascist's picture

It's the two-faced, lying hypocrisy of it all. ObamaCare was dead in the water after the Scott Brown by-election. Who sat down with Obama to "talk about it", and ended up reviving same? That's right. Paul Ryan. I don't know if Ryan is the worst of all shit-faced Republicrats. He is certainly one of the worst. 

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 17:59 | 3324007 Meremortal
Meremortal's picture

1. No GOP budget will get anywhere, so why snark about it?

2. Obamacare should be repealed, so it's a good idea to say so.

3. Social Security only needs a raise in the age requirement and a tweak to the COLA, and both have been done before with no real resistance.

4. The CBO's response doesn't mean what you think it means. 

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 14:34 | 3323206 Bruce Krasting
Bruce Krasting's picture

Orly - These pricks come up with thin air when the country needs a real plan.

 

We have to play the cards that have been dealt. Not some fantasy that has not a ghost of a chance of getting passed.

 

This was about positioning the Republicans for the 2014 elections. It was just D.C. theater. Where is the substance when you need it?

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 19:07 | 3324148 steve from virginia
steve from virginia's picture

 

 

 

@Krasting:

 

"Orly - These pricks come up with thin air when the country needs a real plan."

 

The pricks cannot come up with a real plan because they don't understand what the problem is ... or pretend not to.

 

We have a physics problem, one that revolves around things: with mass and dimensions and energy content. Things that follow their own unchangeable, non-negotiable rules, not airy abstractions amenable to public relations.

 

Forcing interest rates into the negative or adding a hundred pips to the euro vs the Japanese yen isn't going to accomplish anything. 'Balancing the budget' is a set of meaningless words, the budget that matters  -- stuff and labor exchanged for poison gases -- has been unbalanced for four hundred years.

 

We've been relentlessly taking out. We've never put anything back.

 

The is only one thing the government can do to redress the balance and keep certain consequences at bay: ruthless, stringent, painful conservation of capital/resources. Those who do not comply with this program = exile, ruin, imprisonment, death.

 

What is the consequence of not doing anything or what we are doing/not doing now? Ruthless, stringent, painful conservation by other means imposed by the onrush of events. Those who do not comply with the program will suffer or die ... along with their countries and cities and towns and just about everything else. Greece, Syria, Egypt, Yemen ... all facing hard physical limits and the consequences of stepping over them ... Japan, UK ... USA.

 

A mass extinction event is already underway, we just have to sign up for it ... perhaps we already have and don't even know it!

 

In no wise do we ever get back to 'the good old days' when we could do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted with no thoughts to consequences.

 

Now, all we have are consequences, nothing else remains. Our only tool is less: self-denial, sacrifice, discipline and the ability to endure great hardships without complaint. Ironically, the bosses understand this: they want the elderly and our children to make all the sacrifices and pay the entire price for our current wilfulness

 

It's not me ... I don't make the rules, Mr. Entropy makes all the rules and he doesn't give a fuck.

 

 

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 23:53 | 3324945 StychoKiller
StychoKiller's picture

Bet you're real fun at parties...

TPTB will continue ignoring reality (but won't be able to ignore the consequences of ignoring said reality...)

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 22:09 | 3324682 Hohum
Hohum's picture

steve from virginia,

 

Gee, Steve.  Don't you know that the magic techno solution is right around the corner?  That marvelous increases in efficiency are there for the taking?  After all, ZHers have said so, without any analysis whatsoever.   It doesn't matter that debt has outpaced growth for decades, that is going to change.  I swear.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 18:15 | 3324067 whotookmyalias
whotookmyalias's picture

They are all pricks, that's exactly the problem. The budget is no different than the Patriot Act or the NDAA or how to handle the invasion of Iraq. They are all idiots worried only about how to get money, elected, and to spin any situation into their favor in order to campaign for more of both.  

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 15:12 | 3323424 Bear
Bear's picture

Anything with 'substance' would be instantly vetoed.  The President does not want to be constrained by a budget

 

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 20:15 | 3324375 PubliusTacitus
PubliusTacitus's picture

That’s exactly right, and a critical point to understanding how dangerous he (and the left/Democratic Party) is.

 

This is also why the “we won the election, now shut up and give us whatever we want” talking point is so prominent recently (as though the “opposition” should just go away…).

 

Ryan literally has nothing to gain here – he can only show up, offer far more concrete solutions than the left, and watch their arrogant consternation and overt incompetence.

 

There is no way out now, the moochers won.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 14:49 | 3323277 Spacemoose
Spacemoose's picture

so you disagree with this quote from tyler earlier today: "Which, no matter what one thinks of Ryan's political views, is unfortunate as the fundamental ideas contained in the budget are spot on: America has an unsustainable spending problem which, however, simply can not be resolved, period."

you actually think that there's a possibility of a "real plan"?  as much as i have agreed with you in the past, i think you're off base on this one. there is no politically viable solution. 

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 23:49 | 3324937 StychoKiller
StychoKiller's picture

[quote] there is no politically viable solution.

[/quote]

And so, the Ponzi will continue until The Great Implosion™!

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 14:45 | 3323260 Orly
Orly's picture

Well, in the famous words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?"

So Obama closes the White House for theatre and you rightly called him out for that.  All I am saying is that neither side is willing to give in to the other for political positioning and it's just ridiculous.

What they are not counting on is the American public getting wind of the fact that both "sides" are two heads on the same coin.  People are beginning to wake up and if it is political theatre they're after, they're all going to get thrown out on their keisters in 2014.

The Red/Blue thing is becoming a relic and that idea should be embraced.  We shouldn't rely on the same-old, same-old because it is never going to change without a radical new approach.

It's coming.  We just have to foment that at the grass-roots.  Just as you have championed SS reform and suddenly big, big names are on board with it, perhaps you can help spear-head a complete and peaceful overthrow of the Washington Establishment?

Who do you trust?  Any names come to mind?  What do they think?  What is their position?  Help us find someone to rally around because we are not as in-the-know as you are- and are just about desperate for things to change for the better in this country.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 15:05 | 3323387 bank guy in Brussels
bank guy in Brussels's picture

Orly, you are still naive and innocent as a babe, when you speak of:

« ... a complete and peaceful overthrow of the Washington Establishment ... »

That is not allowed

They take you down, they take you OUT if you look like you are going to get somewhere

Even if you are a celebrity famous 'top dog insider' and break ranks you instantly become an outsider, possible legal charges against you and media smearing you

Orly, you have lived in a bubble ... you still have the schoolgirl vision of America that 'voting' can mean something ... Bruce Krasting is a little naive that way too

Black-box vote counting fraud aside, you are totally underestimating the US oligarchs' control of the media system, and their use of the legal system for harassment

That happened with that Arab-American pro-consumer guy, Ralph Nader, running for President ... they tied him up in knots in courthouses everywhere just to keep him off the ballot, his donations eaten up in legal fees

And remember when Warren Buffett started to criticise US policy ... Bloomberg started to report a great US government 'investigation' of Buffett companies ... Buffett may be called to testify ... Then Bloomberg reported, inquiry all terminated, everything fine, Buffett will not be questioned ...

Shortly afterwards, Buffett was 'bullish' on America again

If Warren Buffett with his billions can't dare provoke the beast ... ?

Wed, 03/13/2013 - 09:40 | 3325616 Mediocritas
Mediocritas's picture

I dunno man, look at Italy right now. Remember what happened with SOPA and PIPA?

There's a generational shift in progress and with it paradigm shift. The kids now who are going to end up mattering, the bright ones, are growing up without TVs. They're growing up on the net. I'm watching it happening in real time, these kids are something else, tuned in more than any generation in decades. There's going to be a fight, and we're seeing it starting now in Italy.

The old guard are dying out both metaphorically and physically. Of course they'll fight to keep their power to the bitter end, but their strength to hold it is going to erode, ever the more when they have to point the gun at their own grandkids.

The internet is slowly but surely destroying the trim tabs needed to keep TPTBs bullshit straight and level. If Grillo wins his coup then he'll be looking to get rid of politicians entirely, just vote for policies yourself, whenever you feel like it. Lobbyists then have to convince millions of people instead of just one. Leverage reduced.

It doesn't even matter if they kill Grillo off, it's too late. There are millions more Grillos coming. I'm helping raise some of them.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 23:02 | 3324812 dirtbagger
dirtbagger's picture

Remember Bill Casey - head of CIA.  Was going to testify and spill the beans about Iran Contra and Reagan's deal with the Ayotollah.  Went into the hospital and never came out.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 15:17 | 3323455 Orly
Orly's picture

"They take you down, they take you OUT if you look like you are going to get somewhere."

Yeah, like they're doing to Ashley Judd right now?

Look, I understand what you're saying but there are many on these boards that give very high credit to their ability to maintain this illusion for as long as they want because Americans are too busy watching American Idle and Dancing With the Stars; a bunch of Cheetoe-eating, beer-drinking slobs.

Well, I submit to you that your idea is the naive one.  You seriously think that a small group of thieves can keep doing what they're doing, even if it gets a little bit inconvenient for the bulk of Americans?  Ha!

As soon as people in this country are even inconvenienced by their BS, they will turn on those thieves so fast it will make their heads swim, and no amount of Murdoch-pumped propaganda is going to change that.  Buffet, Bloomberg?  Like they are somehow Americans' heroes?  Three-fourths of people in this country don't even know who those clowns are and probably couldn't care less.

Still believe that they are somehow almighty?  Keep thinking that.  Americans are nowhere near as docile as you have been led to believe.  Wasn't it Mao who called the Americans the sleeping giant?

Yeah, don't go too far down the road of pissing us off, okay?  Personally, I am about yay tired of everyone throwing their hands up like a bunch of defeated lackeys because they believe no one around them has any spine at all.  I am waiting for someone to just try it.  Push us a little harder...just a little bit.

You won't like the result.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 21:31 | 3324578 sgorem
sgorem's picture

 "You seriously think that a small group of thieves can keep doing what they're doing" i agree with you, and your premise, but unfortunately we are not up against a small group of theives. we are up against the US.GOV., the Banking Cartel on a global scale, and a bought and paid for Main Stream Media, a rigged and fraudulent voting system, plus the 1%ers who just happen to own title to everything. our Founding Fathers didn't have this shit to contend with. i'm just hoping some postal employee gets lucky.............

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 23:08 | 3324823 willwork4food
willwork4food's picture

Yup. But what I believe Orly's saying is that doesn't matter.

Sooner or later we are going to have a Ft. Sumpter moment.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 17:17 | 3323849 nofluer
nofluer's picture

Wasn't it Mao who called the Americans the sleeping giant?

No.

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

Japanese Naval Marshal General (Admiral) Isoroku Yamamoto after the December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor Attack.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 15:30 | 3323511 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

Orly no offense but when the average dumbass american finally shuts off his TV, puts down his beer and picks up his weapon there is no doubt he will aim it at the wrong person. That is the ultimate problem. There are too many people out there and not many of them have a clue.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 15:42 | 3323543 Orly
Orly's picture

I think you're very wrong about that.  We're not stupid just because we don't hang on every word uttered by Bernanke.  But people know when things aren't going right for them and getting worse and then they will do something about it.

It just hasn't happened yet to a great degree.  But notice how they're taking these things nice and slow and moving under the radar...and notice how much more noise people are making about it now.

I get emails from my mother, okay?  Trust me, if my mom is waking up, then chances are many, many more people are as well.  A critical mass is all that is needed to turn the tide.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 19:24 | 3324246 chump666
chump666's picture

Orly,

Did you catch the EJ move? 

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 20:13 | 3324371 Orly
Orly's picture

Yes.  Then it slammed on the brakes and just sat there all day.

Frustrating.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 15:47 | 3323571 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

Well I certainly am rooting for you to be right. That is for damn sure.

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 14:25 | 3323175 NotApplicable
NotApplicable's picture

Why does Mr. Krasting insist upon wrestling with pigs?

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 14:42 | 3323248 Bruce Krasting
Bruce Krasting's picture

I like wrestling?? I like ranting?? I like blowing up guys like Ryan (or Krugman)?? I'm desperately trying to move the needle, (even a little)??

 

It's still winter, shitty out, I'm bored, and just a nasty son-of-a-bitch??

 

All of the above??

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 14:55 | 3323324 azzhatter
azzhatter's picture

Bruce, I really like your posts but nothing is going to change until it's forced upon them. What form that takes place, I don't know. None of the sum total of politicians are courageous enough to do it. It will be forced upon us

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 14:29 | 3323189 Orly
Orly's picture

I don't know that he does.  He does rail against nobody doing nothing in Washington and would someone please stand up, please.

And when they do, he calls them out as a fool because he knew his budget wouldn't pass.

I would submit that he could have doubled everything in President Obama's pet budget and it still wouldn't pass.

The phony red/blue pair-a-dimes wins again.

:/

Tue, 03/12/2013 - 19:51 | 3324311 gmrpeabody
gmrpeabody's picture

Bruce..., I'm going out on a limb here and say you vote  Democratic.

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