• Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for July 28th on 20:53

    These are my links for July 28th from 20:53 to 20:57:

    • Ron Paul: "Default Is Coming" – Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) explains why default by inflation is worse than default by not raising the debt ceiling.

      Rep. Paul also talks about how the devaluing of the U.S. has led to record prices in gold bullion.

      "Default is coming. The only argument that's going on now is how to default, not send the checks out or just print the money. In all countries our size, they always print the money," Paul said.

      "They're going to raise the debt limit, and then they're going to print the money, and then they'll default by inflation, and that's much more dangerous than facing up to the facts of what's happening today."

      ======

      Go and watch the video.

    • We’ve Been Played for Saps, Folks: Boehner Bill Will Become Reid Bill – So Dingy Harry can take the Boehner bill and tweak it and rewrite it, make additions to it, take some things out of it, play with it however he wants, and get enough votes from Democrats since it becomes the Reid bill, and then it gets sent back to Boehner in the House looking nothing like his bill, but the rationale for passing the Boehner bill in the House is we've got to do this, the time is up, we're not going to get blamed. So if Reid monkeys around with the bill that he gets from Boehner, and it passes in the Senate, with whatever changes that are not favorable to us, of course, they throw it back in Boehner's lap, and then the pressure is going to be back on Boehner. Okay, do you sign the Reid bill? Do you pass it? Do you get your guys to vote for it and send it to Obama, basically a Democrat bill. That is what a lot of people — and I sign on to the theory, too — this is one of the traps that's being set. The Boehner bill is essentially being used to be a foundation for a nonexistent as of yet Reid bill. And thereby the Boehner bill becomes the Reid bill, therefore Democrat bill all in the absence of an Obama plan. No Obama plan at all in this.
      There's no Obama bill. There's nothing set down on paper. So the Reid bill will become the Obama bill.

      ======

      Rush is correct.

      Read it all

    • Debt ceiling vote postponed by Boehner, who will try again Friday – Speaker John Boehner postponed the planned House vote on a debt-limit increase late Thursday night, casting new doubt on Congress’ ability to avert a default and further exposing a deep philosophical divide in the Republican Conference.

      Four-and-a-half hours after the vote was supposed to begin on the House floor, Republicans announced they would start again in the morning, but the end game remains unclear on this trillion-dollar package. The House Rules Committee was expected to meet later Thursday night to issue a rule that would allow the GOP to bring a new bill to the floor quickly on Friday if the final votes can be secured.

      ======

      I understand there will be a sweetener added tomorrow, the Balance Budget Amendment in some form.

      It might be best to just let the Boehner Plan die, so that Reid will not be able to gut it and return it to the House.

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for July 28th on 10:37

    These are my links for July 28th from 10:37 to 16:20:

  • American Debt Linit,  American Economy,  Barack Obama,  John Boehner,  Polling

    Poll Watch: Obama Fairing Better than Boehner and Reid on Debt Limit Debate Although All Are Negative

    According to the latest Gallup poll.

    Americans are more likely to approve of the way President Obama is handling the negotiations to raise the federal debt ceiling than they are to approve of the handling of the situation by Speaker of the House John Boehner or Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, although opinions about all three are more negative than positive.

    These results are from a special one night USA Today/Gallup poll conducted July 27, as Speaker Boehner was marshaling support for Thursday’s House vote on his version of a new budget plan.

    President Obama’s 41% approval rating on handling the situation is 10 percentage points higher than Boehner’s and 18 points higher than Reid’s. However, more Americans have an opinion about Obama’s handling of the situation than is the case for the other two men, so when those with no opinion are factored out of the results, Obama’s advantage is lessened. Among those with an opinion about his handling of the situation, the president has 44% approval and 56% disapproval, compared with 39% and 61% for Boehner and 31% and 69% for Reid.

    Americans are saying a POX to all of the POLS.

    But, Boehner does NOT have the support of the rank and file GOP. Only half of the Republicans approve of Boehner’s handling of the debt situation and 75 per cent of the Democrats approve of Obama’s handling of the situation.

    What about independent voters?

    And, Tea Party supporters?

    A Third of Tea Party Supporters Disapprove of Boehner’s Handling of Situation

    Tea Party supporters have been among the most vocal participants in the current debt crisis debate. Many observers suggest that the pressure Tea Partiers are putting on newly elected freshman Republican House members is a reason the parties have not been able to strike a debt agreement so far. House Speaker Boehner is attempting to broker a deal to get the debt ceiling raised while at the same time reflecting the intense sentiments of Tea Party followers.

    Boehner does slightly better among all Tea Party supporters — 61% approval and 33% disapproval — than he does among all Republicans — 50% approval and 35% disapproval. These differences reflect the fact that in this survey, less than half (46%) of Republicans identify as Tea Party supporters, and that this group has a much different view of Boehner’s efforts on the debt situation than those who are not Tea Party supporters. Republicans who support the Tea Party approve of Boehner’s handling of the debt situation by 65% to 30%, while Republicans who are not Tea Party supporters split evenly, 38% approve and 40% disapprove, with the rest having no opinion. This difference is significant despite the smaller sample sizes involved, and suggests that Boehner is having more trouble pleasing the moderate and liberal wing of his party than he is the conservative wing.

    So, what does this all mean?

    Americans are not approving of any of the parties or POLS. It may be too early to assess the true impact of the situation, unless some financial crisis results. But, for election 2012, this entire matter is a negatve for both sides of the aisle. If anyone thinks the President can claim a victory in this situation, they better read and weep.

    Both sides are likely to cut a deal now that it is very apparent, they are both losing the public perception.

    It is too early to determine the long-term impact of the current debt ceiling crisis on the political fortunes of President Obama, Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Reid, and the other politicians who have been in the middle of the unfolding drama. The current short-term data suggest that to date none of those involved receive glowingly positive reviews from the American public. More Americans disapprove than approve of the way Obama, Boehner, and Reid have each handled the situation.

    Obama does better than the other two, based in large part on the high approval rating he receives from his fellow Democrats. Boehner receives significantly less loyalty from Republicans, half of whom approve of his handling of the situation. This no doubt reflects the current divisions within the Republican Party, with conservatives and Tea Party supporters pressing for a rigid stance against compromise and tax increases, while other Republicans are more inclined to push for a settlement with Obama and the Democrats. At this point, the former group is the most supportive of Boehner, which suggests that he faces more problems from the moderate wing of his party than from the conservative Tea Party wing. The fact that as many Republicans who do not support the Tea Party say they disapprove of how Boehner is handling the situation as say they approve highlights his leadership challenges.

  • Barack Obama,  Polling,  President 2012

    President 2012 Poll Watch: Obama Loses the Independent Vote

    According to the latest Pew Poll.

    The sizeable lead Barack Obama held over a generic Republican opponent in polls conducted earlier this year has vanished as his support among independent voters has fallen off. Currently, 41% of registered voters say they would like to see Barack Obama reelected, while 40% say they would prefer to see a Republican candidate win in 2012. In May, Obama held an 11-point lead.

    Of course, this is a national poll and does not reflect the diversity of the states. But, not a good sign for the President’s re-election prospects.

  • American Debt Linit,  American Economy,  Harry Reid,  John Boehner

    Harry Reid Says Senate Will Defeat Boehner Debt Limit Plan Tonight – Then What?

    Then, the deal making will begin.

    The Senate will take up, and vote down, House Speaker John Boehner’s bill to raise the federal debt ceiling immediately after its anticipated House passage Thursday evening, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said.

    “As soon as the House completes its vote tonight, the Senate will move to take up that bill. It will be defeated,” Reid said, citing a letter sent last night to Boehner in which all 53 Democratic Caucus members vowed to vote against the measure if it passes. “No Democrat will vote for a short-term Band-Aid that would put our economy at risk and put the nation back in this untenable situation a few short months from now.”

    Boehner was still working to round up votes Thursday. But both parties now expect his measure to narrowly pass over Democratic opposition.

    So, what are the options?

    Reid has two options: He could “table” the proposal, postponing its consideration indefinitely, or bring it up for a vote, which would kill the bill directly. The advantage of tabling is that it’s faster. Under the byzantine rules of the Senate, the Majority Leader would have to wait about two days before being able to bring the House bill up for a vote, whereas tabling the bill could take just a day and a half. The disadvantage of tabling is that Republicans will insist that Boehner’s proposal had a chance in the Senate, and that Reid was simply afraid that it would pass. But with the Aug. 2 approaching, Democratic aides think tabling is more likely.

    Once Reid kills the bill, there are two new paths he could take: He could bring his own plan up for a vote or he could try to come up with a compromise plan with Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

    Since Dingy Harry’s bill has NO chance of passing in the House, the deal making will begin.

    But, of course, there will be plenty of blaming the other side and at the last minute there will be a deal or the August 2nd deadline passes which will probably prove to be a non-event.

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for July 28th on 03:04

    These are my links for July 28th from 03:04 to 10:11:

  • Polling,  President 2012

    President 2012 North Carolina GOP Poll Watch: Romney and Bachmann Co-Front Runners

    According to the latest PPP Poll.

    In North Carolina the numbers are very similar. There Romney leads Bachmann 23-22 with Rick Perry debuting at 14% and Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich at 9%, Ron Paul at 6%, Tim Pawlenty at 5%, and Jon Huntsman at 2% rounding out the field.

    North Carolina’s a rare state where Bachmann actually edges out Romney with centrist voters, 23-21. But his 12 point lead with voters just right of center at 30-18 outweighs her 9 point advantage with far right voters at 26-17.

    If you add Palin to the equation in North Carolina she finished 4th at 12% behind Romney at 18%, Bachmann at 17%, and Palin at 12%.

    But, the real questions remain:

    • When will Texas Governor Rick Perry announce?
    • Will Sarah Palin run?

    The poll is here.

  • American Debt Linit,  American Economy,  Polling

    Poll Watch: 70% Say Debt Ceiling Will Be Raised – 42% Say Long Term Government Spending Will NOT Be Reduced

    According to the latest Rasmussen Poll.

    With less than five days left until the federal government could begin defaulting on its debts, voters continue to express unhappiness with both sides of the debt ceiling debate. While most voters continue to believe the debt ceiling will be raised before the government defaults, most don’t think the president and Congressional Republicans will agree on significant long-term spending cuts before the 2012 elections.

    The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 70% believe it’s at least somewhat likely that the debt ceiling will be raised before the government begins defaulting on its debts. Only 18% don’t think the debt ceiling will be raised by Tuesday, while another 12% are undecided. These findings include 33% who say a debt ceiling increase is Very Likely and just three percent (3%) who think it’s Not at all Likely to happen

    However, less than half of voters (42%) say it’s likely President Obama and congressional Republicans will reach an agreement to significantly cut long-term government spending trends before the 2012 elections, including just eight percent (8%) who say it’s Very Likely. Fifty-one percent (51%) don’t believe it’s likely the two sides will reach this agreement, including 15% who say it’s Not At All Likely.

    Only 35% of voters nationwide approve the way the president and congressional Democrats are handling the debt ceiling debate, while most (61%) disapprove.

    Republicans aren’t off the hook either: 38% approve of the way the GOP are handling the debate while 57% disapprove. Voter sentiments about both sides are similar to those found last week.

    You can fool some of the people some of the time.

    All of the drama and for what?

    The Boehner or Reid Plan?

    Move on to the 2012 elections because nothing is going to happen until there is a new Senate and/or President.