Ace of Spades HQ

March 04, 2011

WaPo: Even We Can't Stomach Dem Lies About Budget Cuts
— Gabriel Malor

At least one person at Washington Post has had enough of Democratic lies that claim Dems have already offered substantial budget cuts. The WaPo Fact Checker gives Democrats "Two Pinocchios" for the talking point:

This has become a constant refrain by Democrats -- that they have already gone some distance to accommodate the Republicans' efforts to cut federal spending. We already awarded Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) two Pinocchios for this claim, but the talking point keeps popping up again and again.
[...]
The 2011 fiscal year began Oct. 1, but Congress, then led by the Democrats, failed to pass any of the annual spending bills that would fund the government. Instead, lawmakers have passed a series of stopgap measures, known as continuing resolutions, based largely on 2010 spending. The most recent one was approved this week, though it also included $4 billion in cuts based on proposals in Obama's 2012 budget blueprint.
Yes, it's a bit confusing. Lawmakers mix and match the three budgets in their rhetoric faster than any three-card monte player.
When Democrats say they are meeting Republicans halfway, they are talking about "cuts" from Obama's never-enacted 2011 budget. By the White House's math, they have proposed $41 billion in cuts from the 2011 budget, plus $4 billion in the latest stopgap measure, plus $6.5 billion in unspecified cuts annnounced Thursday, for a total of $51 billion. But there was no heavy lifting involved, and certainly little discrete examination of which programs to preserve and which ones to cut. It's lot like saying you are running a 100-yard dash, but starting on the 50-yard line.

So here are the real numbers. Starting from the 2010 budget, the GOP are seeking $61 billion in cuts. The Dems, by contrast, have agreed to just over $10 billion in cuts --- the $4 billion they just had to eat because of Speaker Boehner's slick maneuvering, plus an "unspecified" $6.5 billion. That ain't halfway, and it makes Democrats liars here.

It's also not like Democrats willingly cut the $4 billion in the two-week CR. That's not really part of their offer. That's just what they had to take because they ended up with no choice. Remember, Reid's initial position was that there should be no cuts in a short-term CR.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 03:41 AM | Comments (76)
Post contains 400 words, total size 3 kb.

1 Democrats Lie. Film at 11...

I want Speaker Boehner to come out today or Monday and say something along the lines of "Enough. Enough of the obfuscation and misdirection. We are spending too much money. Based on the success of balancing budgets in certain States, we will begin Zero Based budgeting in Washington, DC for the 2012 Budget."

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) at March 04, 2011 03:48 AM (KxyHe)

2 1
I am not clear if I totally understand the full thought pattern behind this.
Posted by: Sing You Home ibook at March 04, 2011 07:42 AM (FAU0y)

Yet you keep posting it, spambot.

Posted by: ya2daup at March 04, 2011 03:51 AM (yRrAd)

3 Too bad it is only a single person at the Wash Post calling them on it.

And Harry Reid is a liar??? Gee, who'd a thunk it.

The Dem budget lies are just one more chapter to add to that library of "what if" books.

Posted by: Vic at March 04, 2011 03:51 AM (M9Ie6)

4 All your spambots are belong to us.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at March 04, 2011 03:52 AM (yQWNf)

5 How bad is that. The spam beats us to the board.

Posted by: Meddler at March 04, 2011 03:53 AM (fCBw5)

6 As for the two different budgets, I call for Boner and the House to HOLD THE LINE on the 61B.

The 2012 budget is even more important. We had better see those promised individual budgets and some serious cuts with some departments going away totally.

Posted by: Vic at March 04, 2011 03:53 AM (M9Ie6)

7 2
Based on the success of balancing budgets in certain States, we will begin Zero-Based budgeting in Washington, DC for the 2012 Budget.
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) at March 04, 2011 07:48 AM (KxyHe)

I heartily agree. Their fiscal fantasy island approach to budgeting and "spending cuts" cuts no ice anywhere in the world outside the federal government.

Posted by: ya2daup at March 04, 2011 03:53 AM (yRrAd)

8 First!

Posted by: Louis Vuiton at March 04, 2011 03:54 AM (qIHlG)

9 WaPo naming Obama's plural economic Pinocchios.

Wonders never cease.

Thirteen States propose to recognize gold as money which is a big step forward: Utah, Georgia, Montana, Missouri, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Vermont and Oklahoma.

Bernanke confessed that gold couldn't return as the world standard because there's not enough gold in the world to effectively support the U.S. money supply.

That's an obvious observation given the infinite number of dollars being printed by the Pinocchio Feds to "pay" debts. But the context of the article is limited to local regional States, and Bernanke's remark would influence the reader to reject these 13 State proposals as if there's not enough gold in the entire world to back a domestic regional economy. The various State proposals deal with their own sovereign State economy, not even national finance, let alone global finance.

Is Texas holding out for the recognition of oil as money? Or rice for trade.

Posted by: maverick muse at March 04, 2011 04:00 AM (H+LJc)

10 Someone send a copy of Chris Christie's video to Boehner.. Boehner needs to come out and stop the confusion.. zero-based budgeting now!

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at March 04, 2011 04:02 AM (Do528)

11 Heard bachmann on miller yesterday, pelosi snuck $105 billion into the health care bill ,so we are still treading water.

Posted by: Mbruce at March 04, 2011 04:04 AM (lidbP)

12 Someone send a copy of Chris Christie's video to Boehner...

No More Tears

Posted by: maverick muse at March 04, 2011 04:04 AM (H+LJc)

13 Speak softly but carry a big stick. Teddy Roosevelt

Speak softly and carry a wet noodle. John Boehner

Posted by: maverick muse at March 04, 2011 04:06 AM (H+LJc)

14 $4b = slick maneuvering? Cut the bullshit.

Posted by: Mr. Diddy Wah Diddy at March 04, 2011 04:11 AM (9gFuR)

15 So one writer at the WP tries to call them. So what are the other papers saying? Here's the LA Times:

GOP tries to sell idea that less spending means more jobs

Posted by: Vic at March 04, 2011 04:13 AM (M9Ie6)

Calling Democrats Pinocchio works for me. Not only do they lie, but they stick their big fat noses in every aspect of our lives.

Posted by: runningrn at March 04, 2011 04:19 AM (ihSHD)

17 The R's are doing the same funny math. Cantor kept (keeps?) claiming that the $61 B cut is actually a $100 B cut. But with no explanation or details. My guess is that $100 B is measured from the never-enacted President's 2011 budget.

Posted by: Fyzycyst at March 04, 2011 04:31 AM (ng3i7)

18 The lies of Pelosi, Reid, Krugman, JugEars et al aren't flying so well any more and that's a start. We are seeing lots of changes at the states level.

The tide is turning; I just hope there is enough time left.

Posted by: GnuBreed at March 04, 2011 04:34 AM (h0RtZ)

I don't even like the 2008 Budget, much less the referenced 2010 or 2011.

Things were fine in 2006. Let's pull up that budget and start cutting from there.

Posted by: Huckleberry at March 04, 2011 04:34 AM (fqOyi)

20 Hey, I was told there would be no math with this job!

Posted by: Pinocchio Reid at March 04, 2011 04:36 AM (NuPNl)

Things were fine in 1998...

FIFY

Posted by: Jess at March 04, 2011 04:37 AM (OXvHP)

22 Besides, Bwarney likes it when my nose grows.

Posted by: Pinocchio Reid at March 04, 2011 04:37 AM (NuPNl)

23 if they can't stomach it then they damn well BETTER DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Posted by: mrs. slocombe at March 04, 2011 04:38 AM (eOXTH)

24 socks suck

Posted by: phoenixgirl at March 04, 2011 04:39 AM (eOXTH)

25 Thirteen States propose to recognize gold as money which is a big step forward: Utah, Georgia, Montana, Missouri, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Vermont and Oklahoma.

Posted by: maverick muse at March 04, 2011 08:00 AM (H+LJc)

This is not a step forward. You can't allow the states to develop what are, in effect, alternate currencies. The states are NOT going to start paying in gold or other commodities. They're going to continue paying with dollars. Under this scheme the states MIGHT choose to try to force YOU to pay in commodities, instead of dollars, which would be disaster.

If private parties want to go to the barter system, fine. But the apparatus of the state can't be allowed to do that. If you want to see inflation hit home, that's the way to do it - if you think inflation and uncertainty induced by the government spending is bad - just wait until the value of your currency swings with the commodity markets. The gold standard is not some kind of panecea that will cure everything. We've not really had a gold standard in real life even since the 30's anyway. When we did have convertible currency other countries (like France) used it to screw us by demanding gold in exchange for dollars. There's no going back. Indeed, national hyperinflation has only ever been suffered by nations with convertible currency. The two most famous examples, Zimbabwe and Weimar Germany, typify this. Germany had to pay the war reparations in gold, and Zimbabwe's currency was backed by dollars.

Posted by: Reactionary at March 04, 2011 04:40 AM (xUM1Q)

26 And for some more BS numbers....

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Job growth accelerated in February and the unemployment rate fell for the third straight month, the Labor Department said Friday. Total nonfarm payrolls increased by 192,000 in February. This was slightly lower than the 218,000 gain expected by Wall Street economists. The unemployment rate ticked lower to 8.9% in February from 9.0% in the previous month. Economists forecast the unemployment rate to rise to 9.1%. Job growth in December and January was revised higher by 58,000 jobs. Average hourly earnings held steady at $22.87. Earnings are up 1.7% in the past year. The average workweek was unchanged at 34.2 hours

Posted by: Tami at March 04, 2011 04:45 AM (VuLos)

The 2012 budget is even more important. We had better see those promised individual budgets and some serious cuts with some departments going away totally.

Somebody remind me again why we have to wait? They should have done this with the remnants of the 2010 budget-- the ones Democrats upnted on entirely.

Posted by: Truman North at March 04, 2011 04:47 AM (8ay4x)

28 "I want Speaker Boehner to" As much as I hate to say it...wish in one hand and sh*t in the other. See which one fills up the quickest. These guys just arent serious about it. Its all been lip service. We're boned.

Posted by: lowfibass at March 04, 2011 04:49 AM (T1ZAZ)

29 The average workweek was unchanged at 34.2 hours

How's that compare to five years ago?

Posted by: HeatherRadish at March 04, 2011 04:49 AM (nAOMZ)

30 Calling Democrats Pinocchio works for me. Not only do they lie, but they stick their big fat noses in every aspect of our lives.

_{If their noses grew every time they lied we'd all need chainsaws to get around town, but there'd be free firewood for everybody.}

Posted by: ontherocks at March 04, 2011 04:53 AM (HBqDo)

31 The Republicans need to state everything in term of "prior to Pelosi" budgets. Baseline everything before her massive spending increases - make those budgets an albatross around the Dem's neck not Bush's.

Posted by: Jean at March 04, 2011 05:00 AM (WkuV6)

32 I hate whatever today is

Posted by: Truman North at March 04, 2011 05:01 AM (8ay4x)

33 Yea, the WaPo is a real objective paper in a non-election year. Next year it will be all MACACA. This is merely their fig leaf effort at responsible government. Hard core they are socialists who think all property are belong to us. Fuck them.

Posted by: Trumka and Sparky at March 04, 2011 05:02 AM (Q5+Og)

34 It's Friday, Islameick rage day. Where is the video carnage?

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at March 04, 2011 05:03 AM (qIHlG)

Although the practice has been popular in Japan for centuries, only recently have men in Western countries begun to wear live hens in the place of the usual cloth neck ties.

Posted by: Truman North at March 04, 2011 05:04 AM (8ay4x)

36 Yawn. I really don't feel like waking up.

Posted by: Lincolntf at March 04, 2011 05:05 AM (xMT+4)

37 Isn't WAPO a conservative paper? Maybe I'm mistaken...

Posted by: Cain's Pizzeria at March 04, 2011 05:06 AM (MUMm3)

38 Mmm. Spam and eggs on a waffle for breakfast.

Posted by: Fritz at March 04, 2011 05:08 AM (GwPRU)

Jonah Goldberg had a good line about this last night on Special Report; "The money I didn't spend on a pony for my daughter last year does not mean that I saved that money, it just means I didn't spend it" (para)

Posted by: dananjcon at March 04, 2011 05:14 AM (pr+up)

40 38 Isn't WAPO a conservative paper? Maybe I'm mistaken...

Posted by: Cain's Pizzeria at March 04, 2011 09:06 AM (MUMm3)

No, I think its the Examiner that leans right.

Posted by: dananjcon at March 04, 2011 05:18 AM (pr+up)

41 Washington Times you are thinking?

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at March 04, 2011 05:20 AM (qIHlG)

42 What is this average work week?

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at March 04, 2011 05:21 AM (qIHlG)

43 All the Washington newspapers lean right in the same sense that significant budget cuts are being applied.

Posted by: jwb7605 at March 04, 2011 05:30 AM (Qxe/p)

44 43
What is this average work week?
Posted by: FlaviusJulius at March 04, 2011 09:21 AM (qIHlG)

Those annoying interludes among my tee times and roundball games; I try to minimize them as much as possible.

Posted by: Preznint Splutnik at March 04, 2011 05:31 AM (yRrAd)

45 My, we are a quiet bunch this morning ... too much revelry last night, perhaps?

Posted by: ya2daup at March 04, 2011 05:33 AM (yRrAd)

46 My, we are a quiet bunch this morning ... too much revelry last night, perhaps?

Posted by: ya2daup at March 04, 2011 09:33 AM (yRrAd)

Maybe. But having your outrage meter pegged for days on end is also very tiring.

Posted by: Reactionary at March 04, 2011 05:37 AM (xUM1Q)

47 Yes, you are mistaken again, douchebag.

"WAPO is a conservative paper..." if you normally read the Daily Worker.

Posted by: A Balrog of Morgoth at March 04, 2011 05:37 AM (0IPsJ)

48 Or did the stripping therapist and seux ex machina threads from yesterday negatively impact the purity of essence for many of us (IYKWIMAIKTYD)?

Posted by: ya2daup at March 04, 2011 05:37 AM (yRrAd)

49 @50 is name calling really called for?

Posted by: Cain's Pizzeria at March 04, 2011 05:38 AM (MUMm3)

50 REMAIN CALM! ALL IS WELL!!!!

Posted by: Chip Diller at March 04, 2011 05:45 AM (7jCg4)

51 is name calling really called for?

Do Ewoks fap in the woods?

Posted by: Buzzsaw at March 04, 2011 05:46 AM (tf9Ne)

52 Obama is whacked. With poo-brain.

Posted by: Truman North at March 04, 2011 05:47 AM (8ay4x)

53 @51 Is it easy being as asshole so early in the morning?

Posted by: Lady in Black at March 04, 2011 05:49 AM (x9xik)

54 Why does search on LiveLeak suck so hard?

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at March 04, 2011 05:50 AM (qIHlG)

The earlier it is, the easier it is to be an asshole IMO

Posted by: Truman North at March 04, 2011 05:50 AM (8ay4x)

56 Meant my comment for @50. Not sure what happened there. See, it is too early.

Posted by: Lady in Black at March 04, 2011 05:50 AM (x9xik)

57 is name calling really called for? I'll allow it, shitbrick. This administration reports unemployment figures like I report my dick length. It looks a lot more impressive if I measure starting from the far rim of my asshole.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at March 04, 2011 05:51 AM (1zgwP)

58 Democratic legislators embracing tactic to gain leverage: Fleeing

Posted by: Truman North at March 04, 2011 05:52 AM (8ay4x)

59 O/T - What's the name of the site that publishes the so-called WH "insider" info every so often about Ebola cracking up? Someone linked to it yesterday, but I forgot to bookmark it.

Posted by: RushBabe at March 04, 2011 05:57 AM (urYpw)

60 Isn't WAPO a conservative paper? Maybe I'm mistaken...

Posted by: Cain's Pizzeria at March 04, 2011 09:06 AM (MUMm3)

There are no "conservative" big city papers and very damn few conservative small town papers. Some are less liberal liars than others but they are ALL liberal and in the tank for the Dems.

Posted by: Vic at March 04, 2011 06:01 AM (M9Ie6)

61 Isn't WAPO a conservative paper? Maybe I'm mistaken...

Maybe? When have you ever been right, ps?

Posted by: toby928™ at March 04, 2011 06:07 AM (GTbGH)

62 This administration reports unemployment figures like I report my dick length. It looks a lot more impressive if I measure starting from the far rim of my asshole.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at March 04, 2011 09:51 AM (1zgwP)

Man, you have been on fire lately! Good stuff.

Cut, Jib, Letter

Posted by: dananjcon at March 04, 2011 06:10 AM (pr+up)

63 If I'm not mistaken, isn't Mother Jones one of those right-wing papers owned by Rupert Murdoch?

Posted by: Barney Frank's Sodomy City and All-Male Revue at March 04, 2011 06:18 AM (1zgwP)

National Fucking Review isn't even conservative. Its rino, establishment drivel, save Steyn and Goldberg.

Posted by: dananjcon at March 04, 2011 06:22 AM (pr+up)

65 It looks a lot more impressive if I measure starting from the far rim of my asshole.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at March 04, 2011 09:51 AM (1zgwP)

If that's the same as the dark side of the moon, that's notable in and of itself.

I for one am impressed.

Posted by: ontherocks at March 04, 2011 06:24 AM (HBqDo)

66 Is Texas holding out for the recognition of oil as money? Or rice for trade.

Posted by: maverick muse at March 04, 2011 08:00 AM (H+LJc)

How about Texas BBQ? or BlueBell ice cream? Pecan pie???

Posted by: Count de Monet at March 04, 2011 06:25 AM (XBM1t)

67 #58, it is epitome of courtesy to acknowledge dum-dum as the dunce he is. Ask him about Obama and Captain America.

Posted by: A Balrog of Morgoth at March 04, 2011 06:28 AM (0IPsJ)

68 Cantor kept (keeps?) claiming that the $61 B cut is actually a $100 B cut.

He measures from the taint.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at March 04, 2011 06:28 AM (mHQ7T)

69 The 61 billion = 100 billion makes sense if you are measuring it based on the time remaining in the fiscal year, i.e. 61% or so. Yeah, but it is still bullshit. Just cut 100 billion already.

Posted by: A Balrog of Morgoth at March 04, 2011 06:31 AM (0IPsJ)

70 How can unemployment drop when everyone I am talking to is not hiring because of Obama? Noboby beleives Obama anymore..Geeez I thought would never say Clinton wasn't so bad after all !!!!!

Posted by: Frank Stien at March 04, 2011 06:31 AM (By4wu)

I really need to get slenderer. Last year I had absolutely planned to eat more ice cream and cookies in my food budget. So my sure-fire, Dem-budget-math-approved slenderizing plan for this year is to cut out half of the excess ice cream and cookies from last year's food budget.

That's probably 20 excess pounds I didn't put on last year. This year, using sure-fire, Dem-budget-math, I'm sure to lose at least 10 pounds.

Easy-peasy.

Posted by: Count de Monet at March 04, 2011 06:40 AM (XBM1t)

72 More and more from the demacRATS the party that hollyweird ding-bat JULIA ROBERTS said was OF THE PEOPLE,BY THE PEOPLE,FOR THE PEOPLE which indocates that hollyweirds full of knownothing liberals

Posted by: Spurwing Plover at March 04, 2011 06:42 AM (vA9ld)

73 When you are running a 1600 Billion dollar defecit, 100 billion or 61 billion is NOT ENOUGH!!! Fucking aqround with 2 billion a week is NOT GENIOUS, it is punting. The interest on the debt and the inflation will eat a lot of that 'cut' and we get nowhere. Baseline the budget at 2006 and just say NO MORE MONEY. Just say, since the previous congress shirked their duties and passed no budget, they can't say anything is a cut, so we will start from 0 like EVERY budget should have been in the past.

Posted by: Schwalbe : The © at March 04, 2011 06:56 AM (UU0OF)

Speak softly but carry a big stick. Teddy Roosevelt

Speak softly and carry a wet noodle. John Boehner

I believe the current Republican mantra is actually " Walk stickily and a carry a big soft".

Posted by: mark c at March 04, 2011 07:18 AM (SBIko)

75 The republicans should have started at 1.5T and walked down to 1T

Posted by: Me at March 04, 2011 07:34 AM (TC/9F)

76 Democrats are liars "DUH."

Posted by: Dianne at March 04, 2011 10:19 AM (RPC8g)

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