Apparently Reid wanted Daniel Inouye, the chair of the Appropriations Committee, but he begged off, citing a re-election campaign in Hawaii.

I guess Sen. Inouye just doesn’t want to be on the Commission, because to my knowledge he’s not up for re-election until 2012.

Bob in AZ
Formerly of HI

Yeah, this Deficit Commission is shaping up to be a great gift to the American people. I’m afraid to even ask who will chair it.

Formula for a) end of Democratic Party as we know it and b) street protests that will make the anit-war demonstrations of the 60′s and 70′s look like a Boy Scout wenny roast:

1. Pass WH/Senate HCR w/o legitimate Public Option and/or Medicare buy-in.

2. Support commission recommendations to cut SS and Medicare. (Have they forgotten those eight million or so baby boomers who also served in the military during the Vietnam War? Although they may be covered by the VA, their spouses aren’t. And many of them are just about to start collecting on the SS money they’ve paid in for their entire working lives. Talk about a bad group to piss off!)

America: this time, no lube.

Now bend over.

Don’t forget the No-Jobs Bill

What a charade.

We know damn well Obama’s decisions are all made behind closed doors.

Nice pie chart in the pic. Here’s the one the Catfood Commission should be looking at. Let’s try one even us vision-impaired old folks can read.

http://www.warresisters.org/files/FY2011piechart.pdf

Clearly no Republicans will agree to a single tax increase, even if they pay lip service to it during the hearings. But Conrad and Baucus would in all likelihood have no problem cutting entitlement benefits, given their past statements.

This clown Obama needs to be stopped.

I have a very bad feeling about this. Is Obama going to sign whatever they come up with by executive order?
People don’t believe he’ll cut social services or SS but he already did this year with th no COLA, and, I believe he said that would prevail next year as well.

Greece is rioting over these Shock Doctrine tactics

IMF “austerity measures”, doncha know?

The one point of optimism might be in putting Baucus on the committee. He’ll be so busy trying to drum up lobbyist payments before he votes on anything that he might single-handedly bring the thing to a halt.

This farce is simply an attempt to find somebody willing to take the political heat for recommending cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. They won’t suggest raising taxes. They won’t touch the ongoing bailouts of the TBTF, military spending nor so-called terrorism protection agencies. The idea probably being to avoid the White House getting caught having to lead by example.

They could come up with ideas they don’t want to admit to having and use Gruber to place them into the public discourse with a couple of pie charts and such. He probably needs a few hundred grand since his old mouthpiece gig crumpled up.

I’m in that group working til 70 before applying for SS. 3 3/4 years to go. You’re right, I can only speak for myself, but I’d be some kinda pissed off if they fuck with SS.

The most dangerous person in the world is one who has nothing to lose.

Per the US Senate website, Akaka is up in 2012, but Inouye is up in 2010.

Durbin is Majority Whip (1st sentence) and Inouye is up for reelection in 2010(senate.gov and wikipedia).

I’m actually thinking of applying sooner than later, like pretty quick.

How much worse could the optics be? Ten percent unemployment for as far as the eye can see, a piitance of a jobs bill maybe, a humongous unpopular HCR bill with mandates, and this guy is putting deficit reduction front and center.

This man is deeply stupid — and dangerous.

I’ve thought about it but even though my job doesn’t pay very well it’s a job. I can stay here til I die if I don’t get stupid and fuck it up.

This is the beginning of the end of Social Security. Only a Democrat could fulfill the Republican dream of repealing Social Security.

The jobs scene here is so desperate. I’ve had two interviews this month, neither of which panned out. Don’t know why. I interview very well. In the second one, for a receptionist position, the attorney said your attractive, intelligent and articulate, why aren’t you applying for a job that pays $48k to $68k. I laughed and told him I wasn’t particularly interested in the kind of stress those kinds of jobs would hold and that it’s really hard to find any job right now. Maybe that’s why I didn’t get a call back. Oh, brother.

The REAL reason they want to eliminate SS is because the Federal Government, beginning with our high priest Reagan and continuing until Bushie 2, borrowed around 3 trillion from the SS surplus that was built up and now they don’t want to pay it back.

If they have to pay that money back, with interest, it would add a huge stack to the 10 year deficit projection. So they turn loose the coo-koo-nuts like the John Birch Society and other anti-entitlement let the poor die on the streets starving and stack them out backlike cord wood crowd to march in a preach about our failing budgets.

Of course no one will touch a penny of the outrageous military, police, DEA, IRS budgets. After all who will control all the angry starving pieces of shit we used to call ederly American Citizens?

Remember the timeframe on this. Their report is not due until December–after the midterms.

And you can bet that AARP will be watching this like a hawk.

Just a question….what do you think would be a better answer? Odd question…..

why not go right to the lobbyists and we can save a year or two

I don’t know. I’ve thought about it. My whole life I lifted up my better aspects during interviews. Now I’m wondering if I need to dumb down. I’ve even considered changing my resume.

Got it..he thinks you’re over-qualified. Odd way to ask the question. Of course he knows the job market is tight.

Ummm, you do obviously realize that your interviewer threw you a setup question? The tried and true tactic is to talk the applicant out of wanting the job in the first place, that way when they find the person that ‘fits’ it will be the one they can treat like shit and bang on the desk after hours bhind their wives’ back. You might as well go into prostitution than accept a job from those bozo’s anyway.

The stress and anxiety of looking for a job with more hours is really getting to me. That’s why I’m thinking of collecting SS and finding a couple of good volunteer positions. Must. Sleep. At. Night.

Just a question….what do you think would be a better answer? Odd question…..

INMHO, a better answer to the question, “why aren’t you applying for a job that pays $48k to $68k” would be, “I’ll be more than happy to do so, if you have such a position.”

Thanks. That’s what my husband said too. He said What they’re really looking for is a doormat.
I think I’ve past the window for putting out the red light.

Ha ha. My husband said that too.
Fortunately, he’s got a fairly decently paid job, so we’re not destitute, but again the anxiety of living on the edge is a little much.

Since you seem to have a choice, it would be worthwhile to get SS to show you the contrast of going in now or waiting. Just a thought

Yes, a good one. And, thanks. I may call them today, because the job climate doesn’t seem to be getting better.
Another frustrating aspect of that interview was They are the ones who responded to the resume I sent them. Ya know?

I am by no means an expert, but I have done boatloads of hiring for decades.

My advice is to purge everything that can be construed as negative — by anyone! — from your presentation and/or interview. I know how difficult that is to do when things seem hopeless, but in every case, the hiring authority will use anything negative to eliminate you from the pool of potential hires. And keep in mind, you can always turn down any offers, so don’t limit what you’ll take and not take up front.

None of my business, really, but offered with good intent.

I appreciate the advice. I hear what you’re saying and I’m pretty good at spinning anything that might appear as a negative into a positive. I’m applying for a variety of positions and have a fairly open mind. As in…I’ll probably take anything offered at this point.

It’s really a crap shoot, isn’t it? I had a guy/lawyer who should have known better get all riled up & say, almost shaking…..Look at how old you are!! Crazy. Made me real sure I didn’t want that job.

This commission is a setup job to attack Social Security and Medicare. The Republicans have wanted to destroy it for years and now the Democrats are going to do it for them.

“Living on the edge”, The Title for the new American Survivalist show! No wonder Survival shows are so big now on TV. They should do this one about trying to Live in America without a job. In that show u get to live under bridges and eat out of dumpsters after fighting other drifters and trolls. You are chased from town to town by police and private guards ( death squads). You get to make your own weapons and to finally go for a life of crime, which leads to another TV Survival series called Survive America’s rapidly expanding Private Prison system!

This is Hope and Change we can believe in? WTF! We need to primary this guy.

AARP can be bought off.

Nah, I can hook you up with some of mt buddies at ACORN, and you can work it out tax free.

i love you!

But maybe not the membership..a pretty vocal group.

You can draw SS and work at the same time. That check will enable you to work a part time gig without the stress of wanting and looking for more hours. Earn under a certain amount, I think $32K but don’t quote me on that, and your SS check won’t be decreased.

AARP bought into the establishment years ago. Their big push is their health and life insurance policies. Colour me surprised.

Right….and the income will be added to increase SS benefit. Not sure how it all balances out.

This will be how the Democrats cut Social Security and Medicare. There will be no increased taxes and no cuts to military spending. The Republicans would not need an elaborate subterfuge to hide their intentions. They would proudly and publicly put Granny out on the ice. It’s getting almost impossible to know which is the lessor evil.

get some Relora!

Need glasses, do ya? Mine are less than 2 years old and I need another exam. Really sux. Scares me and I’m fearless.

Get the exam…cataracts are the risk…

your a keeper…keep smilin!

Once again, IMHO, the decision to live with ten percent unemployment for the foreseeable future — because politics demand it — and then tout deficit reduction in the middle of a deep recession which many think now may be double-dip — because politics demand it — is deeply immoral. I know I will get flamed for saying it, but to me, it is on a par with Bush’s decision to invade Iraq, and will have consequences every bit as serious in terms of human misery, both here and abroad.

There is a pattern here with this guy — proposing only what is politically possible, instead of what is best for the country and morally correct. This approach will be catastrophic if applied to entitlement programs.

We must send a signal that the approach to HCR, and a host of other campaign promises, has been morally defective and unjust. And it cannot be used going forward. We progressives need the help of Ed, KO, and TRMS in making this case. The MSM will not — and I include in the MSM those ass-kissing bloggers who provide cover for stupid and immoral decisions, even when they are also bad politics.

You are chased from town to town by police and private guards ( death squads).

Brazil is all the rage at the moment. How long before they actually do import this tradition (right wing paramilitary death squads) from the favellas to the good ‘ol US of A?

IMO , not very long at all. Blackwater will be more then happy to kill as many Americans as necessary to make sure those gated compounds are secured. Soon the wealthy and their Gov’t will rule from behind barb wire and the black Helios won’t be a fantasy.

Got the beginnings of one in my left eye. Haven’t found anybody willing to do the surgery pro bono.

make sure those gated compounds are secured

Yes, I do get the feeling it will all come down to those gated communities one day…How long before it happens though? That’s the question.

May be hard to find…any medical schools? Not the VA?

econobuzz said:

There is a pattern here with this guy — proposing only what is politically possible, instead of what is best for the country and morally correct. This approach will be catastrophic if applied to entitlement programs.

I think you’ve nailed it but this is where we are headed. Obama is so spineless and so compromised he no longer has a moral/ethical/belief structure. He has fixated on appeasing Republicans as a way to re-election so we will have to stop this mess either in the House or Senate. The Senate is corrupt and ineffective so we are left with the House. Sadly both Social Security and Medicare will be safer if we had a Republican President, Senate & House. They won’t ever touch either of them without massive Democratic cover and that’s something Obama will happily give them.

Is there a link for the Reid announcement of his appointments? Thnx.

I have spent all morning in this interesting group. Later.

We had rare snow yesterday, still cold, but a glowing sun is finally out. Nice.

okay. Are you joking?

CUTS are EXACTLY what we need. Federal and statewide.

The Unfunded Liability as a Percentage of Payroll is growing. Those taking out are beginning to overwhelm those paying in.

Public employee pay, benefits and pensions are bankrupting states.

As the $17 billion annual taxpayer tab for government employees’ pensions and retiree health care increases at a rate of “several billion dollars” a year, California is heading for an “economic meltdown. NJ,GA, WV, IL…

The ‘stimulus’ program did nothing but attempt to stave off the impending state budget crises.

You can collect Social Security and work, too, you know. There are limits on how much you can make, though. Be sure to check it out.

PS. I came back…Demi, how much have you looked into the temp agencies? Sometimes that can end up to be pretty interesting &/or stable. Now, Im out. Later.

Yep, sarcasm alert,lol

Only 15-20% of doctors belong to the AMA
The Macon County Conservative Examiner ^ | 12-23-09 | Robert Moon

Posted on Wed Dec 23 08:01:07 2009 by aquapub

Democrats have been wildly misleading people about where doctors stand on ObamaCare. After bribing his way into AARP and AMA endorsements, Obama has been treating them as the final word on the matter and ramping up the partisan smears against his opponents.

But what he is characteristically leaving out is that only about 15-20% of doctors actually belong to the AMA and the vast majority of doctors actually reject ObamaCare.

From National Review:

“…92 percent of doctors don’t think the Democratic bills address the “real sources of cost increases,” and 94 percent don’t think there can be “effective” health reform without tort reform (which the Republican bill includes but the Democratic bills do not).”

45% of doctors even say they will quit practicing medicine if ObamaCare is passed.

Thanks; I guess I should have known. My political contacts in HI have been pretty silent about Inouye’s re-election, and perhaps I’m getting out of touch.

Bob in AZ
was in HI