The Most Asinine thing I've Seen in American Politics (thus far)

The Most Asinine thing 

I've Seen in American Politics

(thus far)

An Op-Ed by The Mouth

"My master, The Great Jacobin, bids thee welcome" 

Backstory: The Senate, the Minority, and the Filibuster. 

The U.S. Senate was formed under the New Jersey Plan during the forming of the Constitution. It was thought that a legislative body formed on equality would benefit the smaller states who could not dominate the House of Representatives with their population. But our Founding Fathers, in all their divine wisdom, put in a fail-safe system to work toward the benefit of the minority - The Filibuster. Now, I'm not sure if this is built into the Constitution somehow, I'm pretty sure it is.  Regardless, the Filibuster is derived from two Standing Rules of the United States' Senate. The first is that a Senator may hold the floor until he or she is finished speaking. The second is that the only way to invoke Cloture, or a final vote on a bill, is with a 3/5th majority. This is known as Rule 22, and it was enacted during the Wilson Presidency (although it was 2/3rd back then, and changed in the 1970s). This is why you see bills being defeated 58-42 all the time. This is because cloture could not be invoked and it is still up for debate on the floor. A simple majority is still needed to pass a bill with 51 votes. But due to procedure, the debate over a bill cannot conclude until every Senator has spoke as long as they wished or through invoking cloture. Common past tactics for filibustering include reading the Constitution, the phone book, every state's election laws, famous presidential speeches and Shakespeare. Interesting factoid: The longest one-person filibuster lasted 24 hours and 18 minutes by Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-SC) against the 1957 Civil Rights Act, which was in vain since it passed and was signed into law by President Eisenhower. So there you have it. That is the story of the Senate, the Minority and the Filibuster. 

Fast forward to Present time!

With all this recent discussion about filibuster reform in the next Congress and Republicans using the Filibuster more in the last 2 Congresses than in the 60s, 70s, and 80s combined, I think we should talk about how Obstructionism is the popular tactic of Republicans. Obstructionism is the practice of deliberately impeding or delaying the course of legal, legislative, or other procedures, (according to my OSX dictionary) also known as being counter-productive . Although, Democrats may be considered even worse since because they have previously just taken Republicans' word for it, and now want to make them ACTUALLY filibuster. I personally think this is the best route to go, although I'm pissed that they didn't do it before. Filibuster reform is a double edged sword, since it would benefit the current Democratic majority in the Senate, but may hurt them in the future when they are Senate Minority. 

Sen. Mitch McConnell and the Debt Ceiling

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) had previously thrown out the idea of a "perpetual debt ceiling" controlled by the President during the 2011 Debt Ceiling Crisis. Even former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan thinks it's a good idea, saying that in this age of information having a Debt Ceiling is like wearing a belt and suspenders. You can read TPJ's last blog post about the Debt Ceiling being an invalid option for the GOP in Fiscal Cliff talks or if you want to just know what the Debt Ceiling is then, click here. Either way, the idea of the perpetual debt ceiling using Amendment 14, Section 4 of the Constitution has since been adopted by Democratic Ideology  as the most effective way to deal with the Debt Ceiling. 

AND NOW, the Most Asinine thing I've Seen in American Politics (thus far)

Look, I became "Politically Aware" during G.W. Bush's first Presidential Term and I remember this of course.  But since I received "Activist" status over 5 years ago, this takes the cake for the dumbest shit I've ever read. Sen. McConnell recently introduced a bill and called for an immediate vote, as a stunt, that would give the President unilateral power over a perpetual debt ceiling. These stunts are used to show how incredibly partisan and uncompromising the other party is being. This immediately backfired in his stupid Republican face, when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid agreed and called for a vote on the bill. He then asked that a supermajority (60 votes) be required for it's passage, effectively filibustering the very same bill he introduced a mere minute ago.  This is a history low point for the Senate and I'm not the only one to think this is 'idiotic.' And if you watch the video, you can see presiding officer Sen. Claire McCaskill be absolutely stunned at what she saw as well, commenting, she "got whiplash." This is now becoming the posterchild for filibuster reform, way to go Mitch. You're a fucking moron.  

I hope you all enjoy my first op-ed! -The Mouth 

Why the Fiscal Cliff is a lose-lose for the Republicans, and the Debt Ceiling won't save them.

Why the Fiscal Cliff is a lose-lose 

for the Notorious G.O.P., 

and how The Debt Ceiling 

won't save them

December 8th 2012 - The Progressive Jacobin, 

While the pundits are scratching their heads at why Mitt Romney shopping at Costco didn't happen while he was trying to erase his Elitist Corporate Scumbag image by the American People before Election Day, we must understand that we are all being pushed toward a metaphorical cliff, of which we will fall off January 1st,  2013. Concordantly, while your first questions may be most pertinent, you may not realize they are the most irrelevant: How did we get here and who is responsible? 

These are stupid questions. We as Americans tend to enjoy pointing the finger more so than actually doing something about it. So to those two questions, I refer you to Randy Marsh on the Economy and also don't forget that finger pointing gets us nowhere. 

I first heard about the Fiscal Cliff in the Presidential Debates in 2012, when President Obama quickly sidestepped the question on The Sequester saying he wouldn't allow it to happen, and Mitt Romney didn't bring it up either.  Since I had never heard the word Sequester before, I googled it and I learned about what is more-popularly known now as The Fiscal Cliff. 

So let me answer two very important questions that need to be answered before I can explain why Republicans are screwed: What is the Fiscal Cliff and where do the two major political parties in the branches of the Federal Government of the United States stand on it? 

The Fiscal Cliff is alot like Communism, but only in the sense that it looks really good on paper but it sucks at practical application in the real world, even with it's exceptions, which only prove the rule.

The Fiscal Cliff is extensive and mandatory cuts in spending, as well as an expiration of Bush-era Tax Cuts, that will go into effect should Congress and the President somehow not reduce deficit in the budget. Doesn't sound too bad, amidst the era of unprecedented Federal spending in the eyes of Republicans, and the drastic reduction in taxes since President Reagan in the eyes of Democrats. (Even the tax and spend policies of President Clinton did not return tax rates to their height under President Carter) 

It means we have to curb government spending and raise new revenues, and of course, like everything in this country, we have two ways to go about doing this. 

Basically:

Democrats want increases of tax rates on the top 2%, while extending middle class cuts

Republicans want entitlement reform and legitimate, tangible cuts in spending. 

I know what you are saying, What does this mean?! Why can't they do both? Isn't that what is going to happen anyways? Now, your inner monologue is finally on the right track. 

Well aside from the internal combustion of the Republican Party, it's going to fuck you in some way shape or form as well. I know what you are thinking, "Bush Tax Cuts? That's only rich people right?" Wrong. And it's not just Bush-Era tax cuts set to expire. It's things like cuts to the Payroll Tax, the Income Tax, and stock dividends. Things like this have a higher Multiplier - for example, the Fed. Government may lose immediate revenue by reducing the payroll tax, but this is thought to stimulate economic growth by putting more money in Joe Blow's pocket. Look the fact is, that there are alot of misconceptions on the vast majority of tax revenue generated by the United States' Government and where it comes from. Furthermore, contrary to popular Conservative rhetoric, 90% of entitlements go to the elderly, disabled, and working poor, not the infamous typical Obama-supporting moocher.

So why are the Republicans stuck in a lose-lose? First of all, this and that.

<- You got this asshole, Political Mastermind Grover Norquist. 

I gotta hand it to him though. He's one of my least favorite people in politics and his not even an elected official! He's worse - he's a lobbyist. At a time when people were talking about how Bush Sr. lied to them and a Dixiecrat was leading the charge for the Left (yup, 1992), Grover Norquist came up with an idea to restore faith in the Republican Party. He would make them sign a pledge to not increase taxes under any circumstances. Now, it has gained so much momentum over the last 20 years that it is easier to list all the federal Republican lawmakers who didn't sign the pledge, than it is to name the ones that have. It seems that the noobs of the 113th Congress have more sense than their predecessors, but this is a moot point since they don't get sworn in til January 3rd, a whole 3 days into sequestration. 

You also have the Tea Party - honest, hardworking Americans co-opted by the Corporate Conservative Right, because they agree on one thing: No New Taxes! 

Now, some Republicans are snapping to their senses and telling Grover to go fuck himself but with the Tea Party at his back as a tangible swinger of Republican votes, they could face divine retribution in the new Congress and some people, who are not Democrats, are already calling for the Speaker's head on a stick. Are you starting to see why this is a lose-lose? Now factor in that the Obama Administration has said We are "absolutely prepared" to go over the Fiscal Cliff, that if they do, it would be Obama doing his job and Congress, specifically the House, is not doing their job and that increasing empirical evidence shows little to no relation between the Top Tax Rate and Job Growth, if you are a Republican, the ball is in your court and you are crapping yourself. Someone is going to be mad at you, the sooner you accept that the better. It's either going to be Grover and his Tea Party followers, because you raised taxes or your Republican base because you wouldn't compromise with Democrats and we plunged into a double-dip recession. Sure people will be mad at Obama, but since the dude can't run again and chances are you will, you might have to do something radical, like compromise. 

But wait! What about the Debt Ceiling? Isn't that the minority party's tool for leverage? 

The Debt Ceiling is pretty much a unicorn, in the sense that it only exists in people's minds. Let's get one thing straight: the Debt Ceiling does not add to the debt, we do that every second of every day, the Debt Limit is only the top rate the US Debt may reach before Congress decides to say "Fuck it, we aren't going to pay it back!" - more or less. For the largest economic power in the world to not agree to pay its debts has historically resulted in a 5% drop in the Dow Jones, as well as a AA downgrade by Standard & Poor's. So using the Debt Ceiling as leverage is a stupid idea, even Alan Greenspan says so. Although, some sources say he is, at least, partly responsible.

But wait! In Section 4 of this long-forgotten sheet of paper, insists that the validity of the public debt of the United States may never be called into question. Although, the Obama Administration has insisted this is not an option, I wouldn't trust him if he can't get what he wants. We have raised the Debt Ceiling 102 times since it's inception in 1917 - 3 times under Obama, 8 times under W. Bush, and 18 times under Reagan. 

So with all that being said, how do you feel?

Yeah, me too. 

Well, I guess comment, discuss, debate, whatever. I've tried to give you the facts, run with them. 

I just hope we don't end up like Wile E. Coyote, so-called Super Genius....

Wooo! That was fun. -TPJ 

My First Post and Mission Statement

admin pic, no h8 plz. 

About

There is a war going on for your mind

I have come to enlighten you about Federal and NY State Politics. I am a party of one, and you are encouraged to express your beliefs, ideals, and stances, whether for or against my own. Facebook page  @ The Progressive Jacobin  -TPJ

Mission

At TPJ, We pledge the following:

1. To present information from the most primary sources possible for discussion. Op-ed references and secondary sources will be noted so as to distinguish fact from theory from opinion. This is paramount.

2. To present my own viewpoints on a topic and arguments supporting it, as well as possible counterpoints and opposing viewpoints with supporting arguments and centrist/Third way options with unanimous focus by Admin and Users on mounting an empirical viewpoint and a 360 degree look at each topic presented. 

3. Encouragement of any political discussion to support, amend or oppose the positions and stances addressed by the Admin, therefore creating this blog into an actual Debate Forum for discussion, as opposed to me just rambling.. 

4. To try to be humorous and make political discussion 'fun' and most of all INFORMATIVE! 

The blog is the expansion of the Facebook page. Here I will be writing in depth posts on various topics in current Federal, NY and (sometimes) Global politics. I get heavy with the metaphors and the sarcasm sometimes as I find it often simplifies things (not so much the sarcasm, but I'll lay it on thick for ya so theres no confusion). I will use in text links to things I mention, like my favorite online newspaper does as well, to better give understand of what I mean, for example when I talk about The Fiscal Cliff, and I don't feel like explaining the entire concept. I will also be sure to mention when I am linking to facts, as opposed to the Op-Ed of a Fiscal Cliff Playbook for Democrats. I hope these examples explain my proposed methodology well enough.  I will stand in favor of ideas from the left and the right, as will I stand in opposition to them. From Republicans to Democrats, Conservatives to Liberals, Libertarians to Greens, Tea Party to Occupy, 99% to 1%, Federalists to Democratic-Republicans, and Fascists to Communists, you are all welcome but no one is safe. You have been warned.

Description: The Revolution will not be televised

TPJ is a blog, debate forum and Facebook page dedicated to the discussion of Politics. Opposing and concurring viewpoints are welcome, this page is not for me, it is for the purpose of creating a better informed electorate through the spreading of factual information and its relation to politics. - the key to an effective Democracy. Only by informing ourselves of all sides of an argument can we make a well informed decision or stance. Please, debate and argue, but attacks on personal level are discouraged. Just because someone doesn't agree with you, doesn't mean they are wrong.

"If you don't turn on politics, then politics will turn on you."

-Ralph Nader, Former Green Party Presidential Candidate

And don't forget to like the page! We all know how "likes" (referred to as #£ in this blog), are the currency of the Facebook Economy and my GPL (Gross Page Likes) is a mere 2£. Help me grow and prosper, and bear with me while I master the art of the political blog as we help ponder and theorize the jump start of the American economy through our first topic: The United States Fiscal Cliff. 

Sincerely,

Thomas Paul Justice IV

Perpetual President, Supreme Commander and High Magistrate of the People's Republic of the Loft

P.S. In the mean time, if you are looking for a reasonably simple explanation of the Sub-prime mortgage crisis and the resulting Great Recession and Trillion dollar deficits, here is this awesome infographic.