That is kind of the problem in thinking, until you yourself see it, does not exist or mater. Sometimes it is as if they say they do not believe in cars then drive off in their Chevy Nova!
Lies. Yes, lies and deception. Read this Forbes article and keep in mind Forbes can’t be called a “liberal” publication by anyone that expects to be believed.
(from the link): For almost 100 years, the Congressional Research Service has worked to assist Congress by providing well-researched and accurate data to be utilized in the creation of important public policy. It has done so when Congress was controlled by Democrats and when Congress has been under the control of Republicans. No matter what party was in charge, the C.R.S. has always endeavored to keep politics out of their work in the effort to provide data that would inform and advance our public policy.
Apparently, solid, well researched data no longer matters—at least not when it comes to the Congressional Republicans.
…….
if you still want to root for lower taxes for the wealthiest Americans—knowing that the research clearly shows that it does nothing to grow our economy—then do so with the understanding that the economic health of the nation is not what is driving your philosophy and that pretending otherwise is of no benefit to anyone.
At least that will be a far more honest response than what we are getting from the Congressional Republicans.
It’s being reported that republicans plan to dump Doug Elmendorf as head of the Congressional Budget Office. He is highly respected by members of both parties but republicans want someone new running the agency charged with figuring out the fiscal impact of proposed legislation on the Hill.
They also want the new person to use “dynamic scoring” which is the magical-mystery math Republicans have been pushing since they came up with supply-side “trickle-down” economics. It’s based on the belief that cutting taxes unleashes economic growth and thereby produces additional government revenue. Supposedly the added revenue more than makes up for what’s lost when Congress hands out the tax cuts. Dynamic scoring would make it easier to enact tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, because the tax cuts wouldn’t look as if they increased the budget deficit. Elmendorf, as well as all previous CBO directors have rejected it.
The budget plan Paul Ryan came up with in 2012 slashed Medicaid, cut taxes on the rich and on corporations, and replaced Medicare with a less well-funded voucher plan. Ryan claimed these measures would reduce the deficit. The Congressional Budget Office disagreed. The Ryan Plan continues to be the only idea republicans have and since it has been discredited the republicans plan to stack the deck with someone who will go along with their own magic math. Expect them to boot Mr. Elmendort and replace him with someone willing to tell Ryan and other Republicans what they’d like to hear soon after the new Congress is sworn in.
Climate change? It’s not happening, they say. And even if it is happening, humans aren’t responsible. (Almost all scientists studying the issue find it’s occurring and humans are the major cause.)
Widening inequality? Not occurring, they say. Even though the data show otherwise, they claim the measurements are wrong.
Voting fraud? Happening all over the country, they say, which is why voter IDs and other limits on voting are necessary. Even though there’s no evidence to back up their claim (the best evidence shows no more than 31 credible incidents of fraud out of a billion ballots cast), they continue to assert it.
Evolution? Just a theory, they say. Even though all reputable scientists support it, many Republicans at the state level say it shouldn’t be taught without also presenting the view found in the Bible.
Weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? America’s use of torture? The George W. Bush administration and its allies in Congress weren’t overly interested in the facts.
The pattern seems to be: if you don’t like the facts, make them up.
Or have your benefactors finance “think tanks” filled with hired guns who will tell the public what you and your patrons want them to say.
If all else fails, fire your own experts who tell the truth, and replace them with people who will pronounce falsehoods.
There’s one big problem with this strategy, though. Legislation based on lies often causes the public to be harmed.
“When people donate to religious groups, it’s tax-deductible. Churches don’t pay property taxes on their land or buildings. When they buy stuff, they don’t pay sales taxes. When they sell stuff at a profit, they don’t pay capital gains tax. If they spend less than they take in, they don’t pay corporate income taxes. Priests, ministers, rabbis and the like get “parsonage exemptions” that let them deduct mortgage payments, rent and other living expenses when they’re doing their income taxes. They also are the only group allowed to opt out of Social Security taxes (and benefits).”
speaking of climate change – this new Pope Francis knows how to kick some self-righteous butts – doesn’t he?
fnord – the more I hear and see this Pope, the more I am inclined to dare to believe he might just be that fresh of breath air we so desperately need in that mega conglomerate now known as the Catholic Church.
I wonder if he would use the tired old excuse that he did not know what that group was until AFTER he spoke to them and received such a wildly resounding applause?
Or maybe he could pull a Reagan by saying – I don’t remember……
A man is known by the company he keeps if the republicans decide the company was questionable. In fact, you can read all kinds of exaggerations and plain ole lies about who they decide President Obama shouldn’t have spent time with. If the person we’re talking about is a republican and the company they kept could be questionable there are many excuses and justifications to avoid personal responsibility for being in that person’s company. I don’t think many republicans think badly about WHITE SUPREMACISTS. In fact, from what I can tell republicans mostly admire and agree with them.
“…And the Germans kill the Jews
And the Jews kill the Arabs
And the Arabs kill the hostages
And that is the news
And is it any wonder that the monkey’s confused
He said Mama Mama, the President’s a fool
Why do I have to keep reading these technical manuals
And the joint chiefs of staff
And the brokers on Wall Street said
Don’t make us laugh, you’re a smart kid
Time is linear
Memory’s a stranger
History is for fools
Man is a tool in the hands
Of the great God Almighty
And they gave him command of a nuclear submarine
Sent him back in search of the Garden of Eden
…Can’t you see
It all makes perfect sense
Expressed in dollars and cents,
Pounds, shillings and pence”
What gets me is – Rupert Murdoch was basically run out of business in Great Britain for that phone hacking scandal – and while investigating that scandal, it was reported that Rupert used the back door for his cozy relationship with Tony Blair….when he was Prime Minister.
Wow- that raises a lot of questions about Blair’s insistence in the invasion of Iraq – huh?
And YET – these Foxxies Hen House Cluck Fest Republicans still defend Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes.
And these Foxxies have the nerve to proclaim they are so morally superior?
LOL my wife just called from the Doctor’s office and asked how the grandsons are doing and me? Then said that I needed to feed them! After she finished it so sounded like instructions for taking care of a dog. That I added when she was threw to then let them out to go pee and poop!
Onerously I am at the computer so it will more then likely wait till I have to so they do not get in trouble!
BTW – please note the mission when we went into Afghanistan was to run al Queda and Bin laden out of his hiding hole.
We started bombing in October 2001 – the mission was accomplished in November 2001. But yet it is 2014 and we are just now leaving this hell hole?
I just wonder….how much taxpayer money was wasted in this particular hell hole – and how many corrupt politicians (Afghanistan and American) have lined their pockets with the profits made off the spilled blood of innocent American soldiers?
Not to mention the wounded that came home to have to fight with these same Republicans who can find trillions to fight the war – but not a damn dime more to help the wounded veterans.
I still remember the made-up-story by the Bush Administration about Pat Tillman’s death in Afghanistan.
You see, the simple truth was he was killed by friendly fire. But then the truth would have not made an awesome recruiting marketing campaign to get other Americans to join this useless war.
Then these Republicans spew and sputter about how Obama tells lies?
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
distort history is just another way of saying these folks are just out-and-out liars…
I thought lying was in one of those Ten Commandments that all good morally superior Christians should follow?
That is kind of the problem in thinking, until you yourself see it, does not exist or mater. Sometimes it is as if they say they do not believe in cars then drive off in their Chevy Nova!
None are so blind as those who refuse to see – as the saying goes?
Don’t worry –
Don’t fret –
When the Republicans install their next wealthy white male into the White House – all will be good again here in GOP Fantasyland.
Lies. Yes, lies and deception. Read this Forbes article and keep in mind Forbes can’t be called a “liberal” publication by anyone that expects to be believed.
Non-Partisan Congressional Tax Report Debunks Core Conservative Economic Theory-GOP Suppresses Study
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/11/02/non-partisan-congressional-tax-report-debunks-core-conservative-economic-theory-gop-suppresses-study/2/
It’s being reported that republicans plan to dump Doug Elmendorf as head of the Congressional Budget Office. He is highly respected by members of both parties but republicans want someone new running the agency charged with figuring out the fiscal impact of proposed legislation on the Hill.
They also want the new person to use “dynamic scoring” which is the magical-mystery math Republicans have been pushing since they came up with supply-side “trickle-down” economics. It’s based on the belief that cutting taxes unleashes economic growth and thereby produces additional government revenue. Supposedly the added revenue more than makes up for what’s lost when Congress hands out the tax cuts. Dynamic scoring would make it easier to enact tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, because the tax cuts wouldn’t look as if they increased the budget deficit. Elmendorf, as well as all previous CBO directors have rejected it.
The budget plan Paul Ryan came up with in 2012 slashed Medicaid, cut taxes on the rich and on corporations, and replaced Medicare with a less well-funded voucher plan. Ryan claimed these measures would reduce the deficit. The Congressional Budget Office disagreed. The Ryan Plan continues to be the only idea republicans have and since it has been discredited the republicans plan to stack the deck with someone who will go along with their own magic math. Expect them to boot Mr. Elmendort and replace him with someone willing to tell Ryan and other Republicans what they’d like to hear soon after the new Congress is sworn in.
http://commondreams.org/views/2014/12/29/republicans-magical-mystery-tour-coming-soon
“If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so.”
YOU GIVE RELIGIONS MORE THAN $82.5 BILLION A YEAR
“When people donate to religious groups, it’s tax-deductible. Churches don’t pay property taxes on their land or buildings. When they buy stuff, they don’t pay sales taxes. When they sell stuff at a profit, they don’t pay capital gains tax. If they spend less than they take in, they don’t pay corporate income taxes. Priests, ministers, rabbis and the like get “parsonage exemptions” that let them deduct mortgage payments, rent and other living expenses when they’re doing their income taxes. They also are the only group allowed to opt out of Social Security taxes (and benefits).”
charts, graphs, more —
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/08/22/you-give-religions-more-than-82-5-billion-a-year/
http://wonkette.com/570293/new-pope-wants-to-save-planet-from-climate-change-like-thats-a-thing
—-
speaking of climate change – this new Pope Francis knows how to kick some self-righteous butts – doesn’t he?
fnord – the more I hear and see this Pope, the more I am inclined to dare to believe he might just be that fresh of breath air we so desperately need in that mega conglomerate now known as the Catholic Church.
Me too! He has me convinced he is the real thing! What a breath of fresh air!
I wonder if he would use the tired old excuse that he did not know what that group was until AFTER he spoke to them and received such a wildly resounding applause?
Or maybe he could pull a Reagan by saying – I don’t remember……
A man is known by the company he keeps….
A man is known by the company he keeps if the republicans decide the company was questionable. In fact, you can read all kinds of exaggerations and plain ole lies about who they decide President Obama shouldn’t have spent time with. If the person we’re talking about is a republican and the company they kept could be questionable there are many excuses and justifications to avoid personal responsibility for being in that person’s company. I don’t think many republicans think badly about WHITE SUPREMACISTS. In fact, from what I can tell republicans mostly admire and agree with them.
BTW – this guy is from Louisiana – enough said?
“…And the Germans kill the Jews
And the Jews kill the Arabs
And the Arabs kill the hostages
And that is the news
And is it any wonder that the monkey’s confused
He said Mama Mama, the President’s a fool
Why do I have to keep reading these technical manuals
And the joint chiefs of staff
And the brokers on Wall Street said
Don’t make us laugh, you’re a smart kid
Time is linear
Memory’s a stranger
History is for fools
Man is a tool in the hands
Of the great God Almighty
And they gave him command of a nuclear submarine
Sent him back in search of the Garden of Eden
…Can’t you see
It all makes perfect sense
Expressed in dollars and cents,
Pounds, shillings and pence”
What gets me is – Rupert Murdoch was basically run out of business in Great Britain for that phone hacking scandal – and while investigating that scandal, it was reported that Rupert used the back door for his cozy relationship with Tony Blair….when he was Prime Minister.
Wow- that raises a lot of questions about Blair’s insistence in the invasion of Iraq – huh?
And YET – these Foxxies Hen House Cluck Fest Republicans still defend Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes.
And these Foxxies have the nerve to proclaim they are so morally superior?
LOL my wife just called from the Doctor’s office and asked how the grandsons are doing and me? Then said that I needed to feed them! After she finished it so sounded like instructions for taking care of a dog. That I added when she was threw to then let them out to go pee and poop!
Onerously I am at the computer so it will more then likely wait till I have to so they do not get in trouble!
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-ends-its-war-in-afghanistan/ar-BBhiyou?ocid=DELLDHP
———
So, the US is officially out of the Afghanistan War?
Hmmm…….want to bet what these budget-cutting Republicans will do when they get their hungry corporate-owned hands in the US taxpayer trough?
I still remember Mitt Romney screaming – Loud-n-Proud – that he wanted to build all those submarines at a cost of several trillion dollars.
And what did these Budget-cutting Republicans do when Mitt the Twit bragged about his idea?
They applauded – and applauded – and then voted for the Twit.
Actions speak louder than words. These budget-cutting Republicans are not interested in cutting the total taxpayer money spent.
These Republicans simply want to spend that taxpayer money the way THEY want to spend it – to over feed the Military Industrial Complex Beast…
BTW – please note the mission when we went into Afghanistan was to run al Queda and Bin laden out of his hiding hole.
We started bombing in October 2001 – the mission was accomplished in November 2001. But yet it is 2014 and we are just now leaving this hell hole?
I just wonder….how much taxpayer money was wasted in this particular hell hole – and how many corrupt politicians (Afghanistan and American) have lined their pockets with the profits made off the spilled blood of innocent American soldiers?
Not to mention the wounded that came home to have to fight with these same Republicans who can find trillions to fight the war – but not a damn dime more to help the wounded veterans.
I still remember the made-up-story by the Bush Administration about Pat Tillman’s death in Afghanistan.
You see, the simple truth was he was killed by friendly fire. But then the truth would have not made an awesome recruiting marketing campaign to get other Americans to join this useless war.
Then these Republicans spew and sputter about how Obama tells lies?
Please, -just put a sock in it…
Hard to believe, but the reason makes sense:
http://www.vox.com/2014/12/29/7460231/congress-bills-passed-2014