Bachman lies, again
arthurdent
Posts: 969
http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/michel ... about-debt
Michele Bachmann lies. That's no surprise. But in this case, her lie is so insidious and stupid that it just has to be debunked.
When asked about the debt-ceiling, she said she wouldn't have raised it because Congress had an opportunity to cut spending and ducked it. Of course, she doesn't say that the debt-ceiling relates to debt already authorized by Congress, the funds have been appropriated, and whether she voted for those appropriations for that or not, it's what they've done. A refusal to honor that debt and invite default (either on payments to the debt or promised spending) is the dishonorable claim of a deadbeat.
But wait, there's more. Bachmann once again refers to the $2 trillion-dollar "blank check." Maybe it's just me, but blank checks usually don't have amounts on them, right?
Now we get to the real lie. Here it is:
BACHMANN: I think we just heard from Standard & Poor's. When they dropped our credit rating what they said is we don't have an ability to repay our debt. That's what the final word was from them. I was proved right in my position. We should not have raised the debt ceiling and instead, we should have cut government spending, which was not done and then we needed to get our spending priorities in order.
That's a pants-on-fire moment for Bachmann. Here is a direct quote from a Standard & Poor's conference call yesterday:
Finally, there is the political analysis, which is an important element of our sovereign criteria, and you have to remember of course that with sovereigns, unlike most issuers, the question is not only of ability to pay but also willingness to pay. It's quite an important one because no one can force a sovereign to pay its debt, cannot force a sovereign into bankruptcy.
So we have to look at the willingness and that's done primarily by analyzing the politics. You look here at how important, from a policy perspective, paying the nation's debts are, and also how much pro-active and effective and stable policy-making is there to ensure fiscal sustainability over the long term.
So we think that this also has deteriorated, in recent years compared to other AAA countries, and that was why we moved to a negative outlook in April. Both fiscal and the political realities. And as we watched the fiscal debate going on intensely for many months this year and we noticed how little progress was being made in terms of bridging the gap between the two sides -- one very focused on revenue measures to address the deficit issue and the other very focused on expenditures and not very much common ground between them -- we noticed that there was not much moving together despite many months of debate.
And in addition to this, we also had serious questions being raised about the debt ceiling and yes we've raised the debt ceiling many times in the past 50 years but we believe that the debate that was had this year was even more contentious and unproductive than previous ones. And the fact is, you know, we had a large proportion of not just anyone, but elected officials who seemed to be seriously advocating that paying US government debt in full and on time was less important than other domestic priorities that they advocated.
That's something that you don't see happen in AAA countries.
As a result of that and as a result of the continued what we view as very slow progress in addressing both the medium term and the longer term fiscal issues we view the politics in the U.S. as moving away from what we expect in a AAA country.
So let's review here. The prime factor that's different now from the last ratings cycle is that we have batsh*t crazy politicians like Michele Bachmann casting doubt on our WILL to pay. Not our ability. Our WILL. And it all started when Bush took office and gave away the tax cut store, screwed up the plan to be deficit-free by 2012, and put a couple of wars on the credit card.
Yes. Michele Bachmann lied. And this one was a whopper the size of Moby Dick, because it's people like her who are the reason we can't have nice things.
Michele Bachmann lies. That's no surprise. But in this case, her lie is so insidious and stupid that it just has to be debunked.
When asked about the debt-ceiling, she said she wouldn't have raised it because Congress had an opportunity to cut spending and ducked it. Of course, she doesn't say that the debt-ceiling relates to debt already authorized by Congress, the funds have been appropriated, and whether she voted for those appropriations for that or not, it's what they've done. A refusal to honor that debt and invite default (either on payments to the debt or promised spending) is the dishonorable claim of a deadbeat.
But wait, there's more. Bachmann once again refers to the $2 trillion-dollar "blank check." Maybe it's just me, but blank checks usually don't have amounts on them, right?
Now we get to the real lie. Here it is:
BACHMANN: I think we just heard from Standard & Poor's. When they dropped our credit rating what they said is we don't have an ability to repay our debt. That's what the final word was from them. I was proved right in my position. We should not have raised the debt ceiling and instead, we should have cut government spending, which was not done and then we needed to get our spending priorities in order.
That's a pants-on-fire moment for Bachmann. Here is a direct quote from a Standard & Poor's conference call yesterday:
Finally, there is the political analysis, which is an important element of our sovereign criteria, and you have to remember of course that with sovereigns, unlike most issuers, the question is not only of ability to pay but also willingness to pay. It's quite an important one because no one can force a sovereign to pay its debt, cannot force a sovereign into bankruptcy.
So we have to look at the willingness and that's done primarily by analyzing the politics. You look here at how important, from a policy perspective, paying the nation's debts are, and also how much pro-active and effective and stable policy-making is there to ensure fiscal sustainability over the long term.
So we think that this also has deteriorated, in recent years compared to other AAA countries, and that was why we moved to a negative outlook in April. Both fiscal and the political realities. And as we watched the fiscal debate going on intensely for many months this year and we noticed how little progress was being made in terms of bridging the gap between the two sides -- one very focused on revenue measures to address the deficit issue and the other very focused on expenditures and not very much common ground between them -- we noticed that there was not much moving together despite many months of debate.
And in addition to this, we also had serious questions being raised about the debt ceiling and yes we've raised the debt ceiling many times in the past 50 years but we believe that the debate that was had this year was even more contentious and unproductive than previous ones. And the fact is, you know, we had a large proportion of not just anyone, but elected officials who seemed to be seriously advocating that paying US government debt in full and on time was less important than other domestic priorities that they advocated.
That's something that you don't see happen in AAA countries.
As a result of that and as a result of the continued what we view as very slow progress in addressing both the medium term and the longer term fiscal issues we view the politics in the U.S. as moving away from what we expect in a AAA country.
So let's review here. The prime factor that's different now from the last ratings cycle is that we have batsh*t crazy politicians like Michele Bachmann casting doubt on our WILL to pay. Not our ability. Our WILL. And it all started when Bush took office and gave away the tax cut store, screwed up the plan to be deficit-free by 2012, and put a couple of wars on the credit card.
Yes. Michele Bachmann lied. And this one was a whopper the size of Moby Dick, because it's people like her who are the reason we can't have nice things.
Rock me Jesus, roll me Lord...
Wash me in the blood of Rock & Roll
Wash me in the blood of Rock & Roll
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it's pretty obvious the two main culprits in this economic disaster is partisanship and corporatized governement ...
Umm... yeh, I think she's not wrong here. S&P looks at the Debt/GDP ratio and forecasts it out a bit. Basically, they saw this rising too much.... or in other words, we weren't going to be able to pay our debt, which is what she was saying.
Her position to deal with this was to decrease the debt component by cutting spending. She felt as though a crisis now, would force government to do that.... Rather than giving out more candy (money) to the screaming baby (government), every time it screams for more (which I, myself, believe will happen again before the election). That may have been the wrong approach, but the truth is it was a long-term idea, and it may have worked long-term. There's no way to tell because it didn't happen.
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/28998869"></param> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param> <embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/28998869" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href=" - In the Fire (demo)</a> by <a href="
And your point?
that Michelle Bachmann is a gibbering idiot. I thought we established that already.
Wash me in the blood of Rock & Roll
bachman is done, she's been outed as a hypocrite and ineffectual legislature. it's really sad as being the poster child of the TB's, it would have been gold political theater seeing her crumble on a natl stage. next up, Rick Perry!!!
MGM Grand - Jul 6, 2006
Cox Arena - Jul 7, 2006
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival - May 1, 2010
Alpine Valley Music Theater - Sep 3-4 2011
Made In America, Philly - Sep 2, 2012
EV, Houston - Nov 12-13, 2012
Dallas-November 2013
OKC-November 2013
ACL 2-October 2014
Fenway Night 1, August 2016
Wrigley, Night 1 August 2018
Fort Worth, Night 1 September 2023
Fort Worth, Night 2 September 2023
Austin, Night 1 September 2023
Austin, Night 2 September 2023
and wait for them to go to town on rick perry for the light up texas issue. he took millions of dollars out of a pool of money collected on everybody's electric bill to help the poor and elderly keep their power and air conditioning on. he applied millions of dollars from that fund to the 27 million (or billion, i forget) budget shortfall this year. and as a result he has had to cut hundreds of teachers and other programs. the unemployment rate in texas is only 1% less than the national average, so that is not all that stellar either. there was a nice piece on the cbs evening news about him...
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
it's gonna be perry, let's not kid.
MGM Grand - Jul 6, 2006
Cox Arena - Jul 7, 2006
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival - May 1, 2010
Alpine Valley Music Theater - Sep 3-4 2011
Made In America, Philly - Sep 2, 2012
EV, Houston - Nov 12-13, 2012
Dallas-November 2013
OKC-November 2013
ACL 2-October 2014
Fenway Night 1, August 2016
Wrigley, Night 1 August 2018
Fort Worth, Night 1 September 2023
Fort Worth, Night 2 September 2023
Austin, Night 1 September 2023
Austin, Night 2 September 2023
That business suit, big hair and cowboy boot bullshit plays well in Texas. But nowhere else.
eh, not so sure. perry is a cash generating machine that will further galvanize the far right.
it's a long way to go and perry is going to have to speak off script a couple hundred times, there will be some highly entertaining quotes coming from him pretty shortly...
MGM Grand - Jul 6, 2006
Cox Arena - Jul 7, 2006
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival - May 1, 2010
Alpine Valley Music Theater - Sep 3-4 2011
Made In America, Philly - Sep 2, 2012
EV, Houston - Nov 12-13, 2012
Dallas-November 2013
OKC-November 2013
ACL 2-October 2014
Fenway Night 1, August 2016
Wrigley, Night 1 August 2018
Fort Worth, Night 1 September 2023
Fort Worth, Night 2 September 2023
Austin, Night 1 September 2023
Austin, Night 2 September 2023
I think you're wrong. Perry will win the noination and the Presidency. When he does, I'll remind you of all this.
i actually agree with you. i don't think Perry will win the presidency but i can see him winning the nomination. too bad too. i thought Jon Huntsman would have been better
As much of a disappointment as Obama has been (and to be fair, I think he's done much better then the general public gives him credit for), I honestly don't see the swing voters going for some loud-mouth Texan Long horn who insists on teaching teens to not have sex, goes to Craig prayer meetings with anti-semetic speakers, clearly cares more about social issues and just kinda has that schoolyard bully style.
I didn't say this: i actually agree with you. i don't think Perry will win the presidency but i can see him winning the nomination. too bad too. i thought Jon Huntsman would have been better
I said this: I think you're wrong. Perry will win the noination and the Presidency. When he does, I'll remind you of all this.
Its difficult to quote such brilliance correctly, I know....
duly noted
Meh. The same people saying that are the same ones who said that there's no way Americans would vote for a black man before a war "hero" that they all love.
i agree with you. i do think he will win the nomination but not the white house. yes , texas has a lower unemployment number but many of those jobs have been showed to be more government jobs than other jobs. not something that a person who believes in smaller government should be happy about.
I don't know anyone who said that. I don't hang w/ racists.
Oh, I don't think you had to be a racist to say that. I know a lot of black people who said that. Quite honestly, I gave him a lot of money but had my doubts that Americans would vote for him based on race alone.
I'd like to read a thread all about your experiences with "schoolyard bullies."
But to your point- Rev Wright is a blatant anti-semite, and nothing the Kenyan Marxist has done shows that he disagrees.
yep, he's an anti semite...
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Blacks, White Guilt, and college-educated women. That's how Obama got elected.
Oh, yeah- and the Repubs ran a RINO instead of a Conservative. Won't make that mistake again.
Perry's gonna bring a little Jesus back in
I can't understand what you are trying to say here. But I said Obama's preacher is an anti-semite.
Not Obama.
Have some coffee.
Will you come on here and eat your bonnet if he loses?
haha.
I will webcast myself eating my bonnet and my bloomers!
Wow. Thought you didn't hang with the racists?
Yeah. Because an extreme right-wingnut is going to appeal to blacks, college-educated women and people with "white guilt."
Well.. he's going to try...Rick Perry's ties to a fringe fundamentalist movement known as Dominionism, which says Christians should rule the world.
And if that doesn't scare that crap out of you, all hope is lost.
"White guilt" got him elected? Seriously?
Yeah, I don't think this played a part at all. Personally I think Obama won because people were pissed off about the government and he represented that "change" he talked so much about. He was well spoken and people thought that he would work with both sides in Washington and make progress.
Well, he certainly hasn't done that very well. So, there is very little for these people left to like about BO. And it pisses me off that his election has re-energized the religious right and social conservatives in a time when the GOP needs to get government out of the way across the board, socially and fiscally. I don't understand why a candidate that doesn't care who marries who and also wants the government to spend less money and actually balance a budget is so hard to find.