Senate Dems’ First Proposed Budget in 4 Years Adds $4 Trillion to National Debt, Includes $1 Trillion in New Tax Hikes

Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray, D-WA, (R) holds up a layoff notification during a news conference at the US Capitol on the eve of the budget sequester on February 28, 2013 in Washington, DC.Β Credit: AFP/Getty Images
WASHINGTON (TheBlaze/AP) — Senate Democrats unveiled a largely stand-pat budget Wednesday that calls for $1 trillion in new tax revenues over the coming decade but actually increases spending, while protecting the party’s domestic policy priorities and adding $4 trillion more to the national debt rather than a slashing alternative from House Republicans.
It is Senate Democrats’ first proposed budget in four years.
The plan by Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) blends about $1 trillion in modest cuts to health care providers, the Pentagon, domestic agencies and interest payments on the debt with an equal amount in new revenue claimed by closing tax breaks.
But because Democrats want to restore $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts over the same period – cuts imposed by Washington’s failure to strike a broader budget pact – Murray’s blueprint increases spending slightly when compared with current policies.
On the other side of Capitol Hill, House Budget Committee Republicans barreled ahead with an entirely opposite approach that whacks spending by $4.6 trillion over the coming decade, promises sweeping cuts to Medicaid and domestic agencies while setting a path to balancing the government’s books within 10 years.
The House panel was expected to approve the plan, by Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) late Wednesday by a party-line vote; Murray’s plan was set to be approved by the Democratic-led Senate panel on Thursday. Both measures face floor debates next week.
Even as Democrats controlling the Senate and the strongly conservative House moved in divergent directions, President Barack Obama again traveled to the Capitol to open a dialogue with lawmakers. Wednesday’s meeting was with House Republicans, who welcomed the gesture even as they noted that deep divisions remain.
“We’ve got a big difference between us,” said Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.). “He supports higher tax revenues.”
But Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said Obama told Republicans that he also supports a revised inflation adjustment called “chained CPI” that would curb cost-of-living increases in Social Security benefits and increase tax revenue through slower indexing of income tax brackets. He also supports “means testing” for Medicare benefits that would require higher-income beneficiaries to pay more for their health care.
Cole said Obama told them everyone needs to honestly confront the political barriers to reining in popular benefit programs like Medicare and Social Security. “He said, `Your people don’t want entitlement reform either. Go home and poll them.’”
The debate in the Senate Budget Committee was the first time since 2009 that Democrats in charge of the Senate have advanced a budget blueprint, which opened to predictably poor reviews from the panel’s Republicans, who said it’s heavy on tax increases and light on cuts to rapidly growing benefit and safety net programs.
“Is it really possible that after four years, the majority has failed to identify any reforms? That all we have is just a tax-and-spend budget that makes no alteration to our dangerous debt course?” said the top Budget Committee Republican, Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama. “Does the majority believe the government is perfect and requires no reform?”
At issue is the arcane and partisan congressional budget process, which involves a unique, non-binding measure called a budget resolution. When the process works as designed – which is rarely – budget resolutions have the potential to stake out parameters for follow-up legislation specifying spending and rewriting the complex U.S. tax code.
This year, it’s taken as a given that the tea party-driven House and Democratic-led Senate won’t be able to resolve their differences absent an agreement driven by the president. Obama has had two failed rounds of talks with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and now seems to be looking to the Senate as a potential partner with which to spark a potential breakthrough.
In that context, the rival Murray and Ryan budget plans don’t seem to offer a path forward. Even a cursory look at them reveals gaping differences.
Ryan’s plan promises to cut the deficit from $845 billion this year to $528 billion in the 2014 budget year that starts in October. The deficit would drop to $125 billion in 2015 and hover pretty much near balance for several years before registering a $7 billion surplus in 2023.
Murray’s plan, by contrast, promises a $693 billion deficit in 2014, dropping to the $400 billion range for the middle years of the decade. While large, such deficits would hover just above 2 percent of gross domestic product, a level that many analysts see as economically sustainable.
Democrats warn that the slashing cuts proposed by Ryan would impose austerity that would slam the economy into a tailspin; Republicans counter that reducing the drag that spiraling debt is placing on future generations is critical to long-term economic growth.
Ryan’s plan embraces tough new spending levels required under the unpopular, across-the-board spending cuts known as a sequester that began to take effect this month. But in order to protect the Pentagon, Republicans cut even more deeply into the day-to-day operating budgets of domestic agencies next year, slashing them from the $506 billion projected under the 2011 debt and budget pact to $414 billion – an unprecedented 18 percent cut.
Over 10 years, Republicans propose cuts to non-defense agency budgets $895 billion below those envisioned less than two years ago.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers, R-Ky., responsible for implementing those cuts, is declining comment. The proposed spending cuts, if not changed, are likely to hamstring efforts later this year to advance the annual spending bills for domestic agencies.
Murray’s budget, meanwhile, not only preserves the spending “caps” set in the hard-fought 2011 deal but proposes $100 billion in stimulus spending for road and bridge construction, repairing schools, and worker training.
Ryan revives his controversial plan that, starting in 2024 for workers born in 1959 or after, would replace traditional Medicare with a voucher-like government subsidy for people to buy health insurance on the open market. Murray proposes modest cuts to Medicare providers.
Ryan proposes slashing the Medicaid health care program for the poor and disabled by more than $700 billion over 10 years, while Murray would trim it by a negligible $10 billion. Ryan promises to eliminate $1.8 trillion in subsidies in the president’s health care law; Murray doesn’t touch them.
“There are no sacred cows,” Murray said. “We put everything we can on the table, but we do it in a responsible way that preserves, protects and strengthens the programs like Medicare and Medicaid that the American people strongly support.”
In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isnβt really about controlling guns at all; itβs about controlling us. Find out more HERE.
















































































































Comments (83)
smokey888x2
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:01pmIt doesn’t matter, we’re over the cliff, there’s to many ‘takers’. Game over. And once they get this, they’ll come back again and again until the bucket is empty. That’s being l I b e r a l
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RDavis49
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:52pmI pray you’re wrong and that these people will wise up in time to put an end to this, but I’m not too hopeful either. To many takers, not enough makers. I’m very fearful that there is going to have to be a rebellion and a civil war before we can start to recover from what’s happened to America.
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RDavis49
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:52pmI pray you’re wrong and that these people will wise up in time to put an end to this, but I’m not too hopeful either. To many takers, not enough makers. I’m very fearful that there is going to have to be a rebellion and a civil war before we can start to recover from what’s happened to America.
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Raging_Waters
Posted on March 14, 2013 at 1:06amAssuming the election fraud can be contained, and Democrats lose the Senate majority, it’s a whole new ball game. My hopes for that aren’t high, but it’s a possibility.
Also, Conservatives nationwide need to start boldly scolding Liberals–publicly and privately–to change the tides. Liberals are like childish, selfish bullies. Once they’re faced with adversity, they cower into a corner and whine.
Civil War should be a last resort. Try winning the spiritual battle first. People have become too complacent. We need boldness these days. If all else fails, refresh the Liberty tree.
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fastfacts
Posted on March 14, 2013 at 3:50amDid you see Rep. Alan Grayson attack the Republicans for trying to get the poor to ‘Die Quicker’ ( http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2013/mar/grayson_die_quickly.html), his lies and rhetoric never change though the GOP is trying to be the ‘some what’ responsible ones.
We will never gain bipartisanship or truth with guys like him and Debbie Wasserman Schultz in power.
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mikem1969
Posted on March 14, 2013 at 8:39amThere are far to many moochers on the system that will just keep voting for those that give them the handouts. None of them get it and the freaking liberals and progressives that have taken over the entire democratic party and part of the republican party will only want to tax and spend. They do not want reform of any kind unless it means stealing more money from the makers and giving it to the takers.
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high school drop out
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:48pm@CATB Problem with that is when you heat tar it gives off Co2..The Envronuts will be all over you! and the feathers will probably get you a visit from PETA
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Tigress1
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:13pmAll those dummies who voted for Obama probably still think that this $1 TRILLION in tax hikes is only going to come from the !%. It’s almost funny!
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Tigress1
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 11:26pmcorrection: from the 1% not “!%”
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TallTurtle
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 9:15pmTime to close the shell and sleep
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welovetheUSA
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:52pmYou democrats better come clean real quick …the game is up. American has lost its reserve currency in the world and we as a country are about to fall …all you democrats can do is lie..spend and tax…our country is going to go through something never experience before in its history, our dollar will be worth nothing, all retirement and funds will be lost and we will go down hard.β¦.the world is looking at replacing of the US dollar as the world currency, a new unified currency is planned , IMF ..China..RUSSIA.. Arab nations..Brazil..Chilie..South Africa..India and Australia have new currency agreements that do not include the US . This will be a complete disaster for Americaβ¦as it was for the United Kingdom when they went through this down grade. Our dollar is about to be worth nothingβ¦and all the democrats can do is spend..spend..spend and print fake money worth nothing now to the world. Why is it that the republicans have not taken over the news waves and news papers to warn the American people? Meetings are going on with world leaders without inviting the USβ¦its coming and all these high stock prices will not save anyone from this disaster. The federal reserve and politicians have destroyed Americaβ¦β¦Word is spreading…millionaires are getting out of the stocks and buying metals..bankers and bond companies are doing the same..homeland security is buying tanks and amino..is that a problem for Americans..I think so.
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oldironsides
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:16pmAmen, I see the writing on the wall.
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Liberalismsamentaldisorder
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:46pmWell here we are. The libs propose a budget that adds $4,000,000,000,000.00 to our $17,000,000,000,000.00 debt, while the repubs propose one that balances the budget in 10 years. Talk about a stark contrast. If only the press in America wasn’t utterly corrupt. Word might get out that there’s a solution to our spending crisis. Sadly, our press is more corrupt than our government.
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mtsnj
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 9:57pmand the Libs will respond by saying well we tried to pass a budget but the repubes are standing in the way… They don’t care that actual and future spending needs to be scaled way back, until we get caught up. You know how responsible people are, you don’t spend your family into a hole unless you’re on drugs… its a drug to them..They need Rehab!!!
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YOURSENSEI
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:03pmMr or Ms LIBERALISMSAMENTALDISORDER,
This is what you must know:
There is a difference between the debt and the deficit, which you are either ignorant of or choose to ignore. Here’s the question you need to ask: How much does the Ryan budget add to the debt? I know. Do you?
It is so.
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termyt
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 10:52pmThe Ryan plan erases the deficit in 10 years, the debt in 40. That is what you ought to admit, if you were an honest teacher.
The Dem budget will simply add with no plan to ever reduce. It is so.
Maybe sensei is a good name for you. You certainly are as honest and decent a teacher as your typical union thug teacher in a public school.
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noslave
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:40pmthe dems could also demand 50 unicorns in their budget,to bust balls some more,& so republicans turn their budget down and then they could whine THOSE NASTY EVIL REPUBLICANS WONT DO ANYTHING TO COMPROMISE??they wont pass a budget they will have to live within,so they throw out insulting GIVE US EVERYTHING WE WANT OR WE’LL PISS&MOAN LIKE THE LITTLE BITCHES WE ARE??
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thibx
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:31pmdon’t believe a damn thing they say. they can not add 2 and 2 and come up with 4. fire them all. republicans like bohner and some other need to go. democrats are all idiots. oboma is evil.
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Exrepublisheep
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 9:09pmAnd then what?
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Stoic one
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 9:53pmThen we put in people that know 2.6-3.8 (trillion) = generational theft. So instead they balance the budget; either over ten years or over one. less pain more pain- it is much better than the death of our country in less than ten.
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watashbuddyfriend
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:24pmOk, Folks, who participate in postings to TheBlaze blogs, I have not read a single comment where you have supported my ideas of bringing those 535 people in The Congress HOME, for putting us in the debt we are in!
All I have seen out of most of the Congresspersons is to ‘Go Along, To Get Along.’
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Stelex
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:29pmWe will follow your lead, of course we want them out and I’m personally am willing to listen to how you will get it done. I’m open……..
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TheBurningTruth
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:51pmThe problem is that the Blaze population is quite small compared to the Takers that are happy to put these corrupt clowns back in office. Consider that Romney had over 58 million votes but still lost. (Yes, I know Romney was a Rino, but between Barry and Romney there’s no question who was the lesser evil). The fact that the Demoncrats have addicted half the population to govt money means that we’re over the edge already.
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noslave
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:59pmi first would get rid of the senate constipater HARRY REID and his crew of communist hinderers.
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dmerwin
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:09pmI cannot believe they want to add another 500 billion more spending increases each year with NO way to pay down ANY debt.
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CatB
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:17pmCollapse the system .. new government .. with the people enslaved. But no one would believe it .. even the RINO’s still say Obama and Dems are “nice” .. I say they are EVIL!
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Jphelps
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:37pmSure they have a way……they think taxing the “rich” is going to take care of their spending problem. Oh wait a minute….they don’t think we have a spending problem they think we just ahve a revenue problem. We’re Screwed
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Stelex
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:04pmThe Government is building two army’s against the American populace, The IRS the financial army, and DHS the Gastapo. And all of us are funding it. Billions of rounds of ammo, 2700 tactical units and I can’t even find 9mm at my local Walmart or gun store. Stop the madness now. They are growing we are not and we are running out of time.
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FISH_BONE
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:11pmThe third, and perhaps most terrifiying army seems to be made up entirely of unattractive women: Hillary Clinton, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Patty Murray, Moochelle, Nancy Piglosi… need I go on?
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Stelex
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:17pmThanks…….just before bed I got that visual. You are lucky your on the right side my friend. Now where’s my JD
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booger71
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:27pmneed I go on?
============
No thanks, I just had supper
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Advection
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:04pmThey’re mad if they think their plans won’t bring down the Dollar and with it the nation.
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CatB
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:18pmThat is their plan .. collapse the system.
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Stelex
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:20pmUhh…..thats the endgame my friend. The goal.
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Liberalismsamentaldisorder
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:47pmThat is the goal
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shogun459
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:59pmSLLAAP! ( Across the face ) “HAR HAR HAR HA HA HA!”
“How do you like is ~aMERica~! Next time maybe you won’t ask us to do our jobs! HAHAHA!” says Murray and Harry Ried
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dmerwin
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:07pmWhat part of broke do these jokers NOT understand? We will soon not even be able to pay the interest on the debt. Raise taxes by 1T and increase the debt another 4T =5T, or 1/2T spending hikes every year for 10 years. Really, what MORE do we need? Is this a SERIOUS proposal?
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Stelex
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:57pmJust take a look at that picture……we all willingly hand over our money to these folks. Seriously, look long and hard at these to POS’s and ask yourselves why, am I sending my money to these folk, when you know damn well they play the system and get rich off of us. WHY???? How long you willing to be raped financially. Stop paying taxes.
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NOBALONEY
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:54pmOur next Vice President is all of sudden in the news. Remember when John Kerry went to Pakistan as Obama’s go to guy in 2011? The democrates always plan ahead. They have their 2016 ticket already. Clinton/Murray, if Obama doesn’t go for his third term. Meanwhile, the GOP establishment looks to go along for the ride. The Tea Party representative minority waste their time fighting “Operation Deep Purple” where there’s no difference between the two parties, and all that’s left is the fight over control.
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FISH_BONE
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:05pmClinton / Murray. Could you possibly think of a more homely duo? The ugly just drips off of both of them.
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spirited
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:49pmGreat….1 trillion for each year already served (reigned).
>May the intervention of trasnsfats save us.
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CatB
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:58pmProposed Dem Budget Increases Spending 62% Over Next Decade
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/proposed-dem-budget-increases-spending-62-over-next-decade_707579.html
Unless anyone has forgotten Obama’s OWN WORDS .. please watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaQUU2ZL6D8
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cliKKer
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:48pmThe Progressive’s plan is to propose this insane budget…. notice they are “ok” with some change in Social Security and entitlements. They will get the Repubs to join in… who will think “hey we are getting something!” Then before the election Obama will demi-god and run around telling how the evil Repubs are cutting grandmas and your Social Security to give money to Rich Whitey.
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IAMMADDOG
Posted on March 14, 2013 at 10:03amThat’s demagogue. Don’t normally correct spelling but Obama is NOT a demi-god.
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Exrepublisheep
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:43pmsigh
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M13
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:38pmWhat’s the problem? These are the same people you support aren’t they?
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NOBALONEY
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:41pmWhite smoke from the capital building! We have a budget! Today was a first for many things.
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:49pmI could not see this crowd using that privileged “white” smoke. More like rainbow smoke.
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CatB
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:51pmAn insane budget .. but I guess it is something … these people are truly CRAZY! More taxes .. that is al they ever say .. more spending and more TAXES …. ugh!
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Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:58pmRJJ/CATB:
This is like when you make your kids do their homework, and they are throwing a tantrum. They are just going to do it as crappy as they can, just to show you that you can’t make them do a good job. And that is what we are getting, the kids are throwing a tantrum.
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CatB
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:21pm@D & J .. well when my son threw a tantrum .. he got NOTHING .. and he soon learned that throwing one would get him nowhere … time for the CONSERVATIVES (note I did not say Republicans) to put these little twits in a TIME OUT ..
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subic
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:39pmIt won’t pass.
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CulperGang
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:38pmyou all think this is cure and funny with your stupid comments?
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FISH_BONE
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:52pmOn behalf of all of us, I sincerely apologize. We’ll try to be more serious from now on.
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Fubared
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:02pmI used to love The Cure, man. Never thought they were funny though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLye2L3xN-o
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Stoic one
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:04pmYou are not from The USA are you?
If you are not ( as i suspect) Tell us what life is like where you are & what type of government you live under.
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termyt
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:29pmThe Democrats obviously aren’t taking this seriously, why should we?
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Stoic one
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 9:42pmCULPERGANG
My questions were for you…….I am just curious – that is all, you sound like you have experienced what it appears we are headed for.
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CulperGang
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:36pmhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/13/usa-banks-spying-idINDEE92C0EH20130313
Andif you think you are going to “hide” some $$$$ barry already has plans for that too.
YOU FUND THIS ADMINISTRATIONS administering…….and as longas you do….the liberals are going to run you and your family into the ground.
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Stelex
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:54pmWhats your problem mannnnnnnn, you got a problem ******* away money on worthless programs and huge bloated Gubment………….Stop paying your taxes. Its that simple When you do that then you may slam the rest.
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UNALIEN
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:35pmnice job comrades
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skippy6
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:34pmIt’s all about spend spend spend…..It doesn’t matter because it’s going to collapse anyway…Just try to prepare yourself for the inevitable…..
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:28pmLOL. Yeah, I have to laugh to keep from crying. But, I should never have expected anything to be different from this.
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FISH_BONE
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:32pmWill we still get to find out why lesbians are so fat?
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:48pmFISH_BONE, LOL, and maybe why their counterparts remain so thin. Guess they didn’t see Floyd Lee Corkins II. That was my first thought when I heard that discussed this morning.
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FISH_BONE
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:56pmAfter we find out why rug munchers wear “husky” sized jeans, perhaps we can look into why liberal women are, shall we say, less than aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Did you catch the picture of Patty Murray up top? Yikes!
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:03pmFISH_BONE, Yeah I did and still feel like I have Tabasco Sauce in my eyes too.
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Ben__Franklin
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:26pmThat’s a woman? I thought that was Harry Reid’s brother in drag.
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:30pmBEN, that could explain a lot after all.
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subic
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:31pm@ FISHBONE, ya, another nasty liberal skank. just the brief look at her gives me the heebie jeebees.
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Fubared
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:27pmAnd they get “paid” for this. Hahahahahaha.
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 7:50pmThe most frightening thing is that WE pay them.
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CatB
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:00pmTime to get out the tar and feathers … and run them out of D.C. and the country .. on a RAIL!
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:28pm@CatB – that time may not be far off in the future.
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