Obama presses Congress to avoid shutdown over budget

What a mess. Major problems here. The U.S. government is in deep debt. But there are so many things that are requiring money, like social security payments, welfare payments, wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, potential war in Korea, disaster in Japan... good grief!

The political gossip is that Boehner will allow a short(less than a week) shutdown to appease the Tea Party(also shield himself from criticism) and then proceed with a compromise that could be approved now. You heard it here.

I like Ryans plan. Thing is, rollback the budget to 2006, and we would have a surplus. Throw a few changes in to account for changing situations, and its doable. Funny thing is, 2006 was when the Dems took over. Just goes to show precisely how much and how fast government grew with them in charge.

One aspect of the proposed plan, changes the corporate tax, lowering it, while removing the loopholes that let Obama's buddies at GE make 15 billion profit, without paying a nickel in taxes.

If the budget doesn't happen and the US government shuts down, does this mean that all the wars stop?

Failure of leadership.Obama needs a challenge in the primaries.Simple as that.

Do something Congress! I'd like to get paid at the end of this month thank you very much.

Thanks, Lieberman2012 - we all know the major roll the executive branch plays in legislative affairs. Looks like Boehner can't get his junk together; he'll either have to rely on Democratic votes to pass the Republican budget, or he'll force a shutdown. Either way, he looses.

And paulinusa, there's no knowing the response to a government shutdown. Could be no biggie; could be the trigger to a financial seismic shift. Me, I'd rather not risk it.

"Thanks, Lieberman2012 - we all know the major roll the executive branch plays in legislative affairs."

I hear ya!If that were the case health care reform would probably be called 'ObamaCare,' or somefing.

If that were the case, "ObamaCare" would have contained a public option, negotiating powers with Big Pharma, and more leverage against HMOs.

Wait, though - that'll come in time.

"If the budget doesn't happen and the US government shuts down, does this mean that all the wars stop?"

No,just the ones that the U.S. is involved in, so first you would have Afghanistan handed over to the Taliban/extremists, then you'd soon have other countries taken over by extremists/communists, and soon after that the U.S. itself would fall, and the world would be a far worse place than it is now.

Sarge, you're right! If we stop spending that $70 billion a month on defense, the terrorists win! ( - you're dating yourself on that "communist" thing - that's so 20th century).

But wait! That $70 billion a month doesn't include the supplementary expenses for the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Doesn't anyone find it strange that one can spend $70 billion a month for the military, but whenever you want to use it, you end up having to pay more? It's like buying a Ferrari and then finding out that it'll cost you a thousand bucks to cruise PCH.

Whatever. Socialism is evil except for when it comes to the Pentagon, apparently.

I don't know for sure, but if a govt. shutdown means our Congress critters don't get paid, then I can guarantee a budget will pass. Mitch McConnell is not about to miss out on one penny of money coming his way. Not one penny.

Taka

Doesn't anyone find it strange that one can spend $70 billion a month for the military, but whenever you want to use it, you end up having to pay more? It's like buying a Ferrari and then finding out that it'll cost you a thousand bucks to cruise PCH.

No offense, very bad analogy. You can buy a Ferrari but it isn't going to go anywhere i you want to use it until you fork out even more money to put gas in the thing,

Ha ha! - right, and with the way gas prices are going, your analogy is probably more apt.

At any rate, I hope both sides get their act together and avoid what could be a serious shock to the world financial system.

Also, I do understand the need to tighten belts and all, but does no one remember the lessons of the Great Depression? Is Keynesian economics that far discredited and buried? I've read outlines of Paul's proposed cuts, and most of them push the punishment down the line to entities that cannot borrow and will have to drastically cut services at a time when these services are most desperately needed. Penny-wise, pound-foolish.

"You can buy a Ferrari but it isn't going to go anywhere i you want to use it until you fork out even more money to put gas in the thing"

And it'll probably break down too.

It is just plain ridiculous that the US government could be shutdown when the Democrat party had control of both houses of Congress last year and could have had just about whatever they wanted. Senator Reid should quit whining about the Republicans cutting too much when he failed to get the job done when his party controlled the entire process. This should have been taken care of long ago. Although the newly installed Republican House majority have taken up the leftover work for their chamber and passed a 2011 budget, the Democrats still have not done the same in the Senate. Until they pass something, a shutdown is inevitable.

As for President Obama he is doing what he always does, he leaves everything up to Congress so he will not get the blame if something gets through that is later considered to be unpopular. A leader he is not!

"Obama presses Congress to avoid shutdown" and then leaves for New York to avoid any action or responsibility while the Gov't shuts down...

As for President Obama he is doing what he always does, he leaves everything up to Congress so he will not get the blame if something gets through that is later considered to be unpopular. A leader he is not!

Understatement of the year!