U.S. House passes bill to raise debt limit, as Giffords makes dramatic return

I don't see how medicare or social security is an entitlement. On your monthly or biweekly paystub, you'll see that them two taxes are earmarked for them specific programs. Them taxes are not to be mixed with federal income taxes and if there is a problem in them areas, they can raise the taxes in social security or medicare seperate from federal income taxes.

They better raise the ceiling debt, Japan needs a lot of help !

Ok, so now please bring down the price of Gold.

Hard to believe the U.S. government needs to spend more than $14.3 trillion ( $14,300,000,000,000 ) .

Should have said hard to believe the U.S. government needs put itself into more than $14.3 trillion ( $14,300,000,000,000 ) debt. Isn't $14.3 trillion ( $14,300,000,000,000 ) enough debt to have to pay off?

At a news conference Monday afternoon Boehner said the compromise would “solve this debt crisis and help get the American people back to work.”

Does he think everyone has been sitting in bars, glued to the televisions watching this manufactured drama for the past couple of weeks?

"Debt" is phrased as something to be dreaded. Even when a person maxes out his credit card, the money he spends goes to support manufacturing jobs and services. If this money dries up, the jobs will dry up along with it, more people will default on their home loans and eventually the government, to avoid food riots and starvation, will have to step in with assistance -- in the form of more borrowed money. And even if it doesn't, what kind of a country do Americans expect to have when cops, firemen and teachers are laid off by the tens of thousands? Are these to be replaced by volunteer fire brigades, neighborhood vigilantes and home schooling? Welcome back to the 18th century frontier!

Yes, realdoll. You are correct that this money is earmarked for specific programs. We pay all of our lives into the Social Security fund, which is supposed to be a retirement fund for those who have paid into it. Supposedly, the government keeps the money safe for us as a retirement program so that we will have it later in life. The problem is that the government has spent our Social Security money on entitlements that were not supposed to come from that pot. There is a large percentage of the population who have never worked and never paid into Social Security who are receiving the money as "Social Security Disability". Our society is now over-diagnosed, over-prescribed, and over-medicated, largely driven by insurance companies that pay high reimbursements for specific diagnoses & pharmaceutical companies that pay high rewards to physicians for prescribing medications... it is now very easy to get a disability diagnosis and government approval to live off the government instead of going to work. Unfortunately, this is more economically appealing to a lot of families because it keeps them at home with their children, and if they go to work, their minimum wage jobs won't be enough to cover the cost of child-care. Additionally, living on the government guarantees free health-care, which is very expensive for people with jobs. So a lot of families (especially single parents) feel that they have no choice but to take SSI instead of the minimum wage job. We have a system that is crippling our lower class and keeping them down & dependent, many times against their wishes. The lawmakers who are handing them this assistance are well-meaning and trying to help, but they're up in Washington and haven't worked in the trenches as a social worker in the Deep South like I have. They have no idea the real magnitude of the problem. They don't look it in the eye everyday like I do. They haven't learned the meaning of: "Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for life." By the time I retire, the U.S. does not expect to have any money left for me in Social Security.

To Jeffydiver: I am very sorry for the reckless actions of my country and for how these actions affect others. Most Americans don't even realize that we have so much influence on the other economies throughout the world.

To all of you: Congratulations on the soccer game. We are sending prayers for healing in Japan <3

Tea Party didn't win. The socialists lost. What Americans see in places like Greece and Portugal had as much to do with the outcome as did any other factor. Shame on our aged, doofus fratboy VP joe Biden for calling for ordinary Americans 'terrorists', when it is his party and the lapdogs in the MSM who refuse to use the term in cases like the Fort Hood attack.

@Breitbart,

What the general did at Ft. Hood was terrible, but as a follow up it makes sense to determine why a general snapped. "Terrorists" has the connotation of unaffiliated threats outside of the realm of career military officers. We would have to label every single friendly fire case as "terrorism" under your definition, right?

Who are these "lapdogs in the MSM" anyway? Are they actually dogs? And do you really want to explain why News Corp is partially owned by a Saudi prince? Don't wanna go there, right?

Shame on our aged, doofus fratboy VP joe Biden....

Dude, I seriously hope I look as good as he does when I'm that age. Check out the Biden pages at The Onion. Also - he's Joe, not joe - that would be a baby kangaroo.

Laguna

Also - he's Joe, not joe - that would be a baby kangaroo.

Actually its joey. joe is still his name just not using a capital J

Vladimir Putin accused the United States Monday of living beyond its means "like a parasite" on the global economy and said dollar dominance was a threat to the financial markets.

torafusu

What the general did at Ft. Hood was terrible, but as a follow up it makes sense to determine why a general snapped.

Hassan was a major, not a general. And he declared repeatedly why he killed his fellow soldiers, unarmed when he went sudden jihad - he believed he was following the dictates of his religion. He exchanged mails with 'Imam' Anwar al-Awlaki, asking for spiritual guidance - regarding the violent urges he felt.

All readers back on topic please.

Nice to see Congresswomen Gifford return to the house. Hers is an inspiring story of courage and strength. I stand up and applaud her return to the house of the people.

They haven't learned the meaning of: "Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for life."

Amen to your post filled with sweat, tears and struggle in life. Some Americans never understand this basic rule in life. There ain't any free lunch. They need to earn it.

Serrano: Isn't $14.3 trillion ( $14,300,000,000,000 ) enough debt to have to pay off?

Don't ask me; I make over $250,000 a year. Seems more like a problem for Pell Grant students. I'm sure they'll figure it out.

Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords made a dramatic appearance on the House floor

Gotta hand it to this lady. Just amazing. She just gave the ultimate middle finger to the guy who shot her. I hope he enjoyed the view from jail.

The socialists lost.

You are with the Tea Party promoting a SOCIALISM PHOBIA in US. The truth of matter is America is in Capitalism/Socialism country already as well as Germany, Japan Australia, and many other countries. America is not in pure capitalism. We have a SSI, Medicare and public infrastructures. YOUR pay check is coming from US gov.

Shame on our aged, doofus fratboy VP joe Biden for calling for ordinary Americans 'terrorists',

Do not misquote as this is a global website. You though I was not watching the interview with MSN and NBC. I have been watching every move like a hawk. The VP has never said that.

Super - As someone who makes over $250,000 a year and therefore an evil rich person in the eyes of Democrats, you should be worried about having your taxes go up.

.

Actually its joey. joe is still his name just not using a capital J

HIS NAME IS JOSEPH!!

Super - As someone who makes over $250,000 a year and therefore an evil rich person in the eyes of Democrats, you should be worried about having your taxes go up.

A majority of Americans have no problem with that. Everyone has to pay a fair share. This is also a moral issue.

"the compromise deal deeply angered left-wing Democrats"

Well of course, some of the candy in the candy store is going to be taken away.

doofus fratboy VP joe Biden for calling for ordinary Americans 'terrorists'

You changed the truth to "ORDINARY" Americans to distort the truth what the VP said. I found the source of distortion of your claim..

It came from M. Buckman of Tea Party running for the next presidential election. I will paste what she is circulating to TP members. It reads as follows:

The Democrats have stooped to a new low. This afternoon, Vice President Joe Biden reportedly led a congressional meeting where Tea Party members were labeled as "terrorists."

You really need to stop distorting the truth. Stop insulting Ordinary Americans.

global

You are with the Tea Party promoting a SOCIALISM PHOBIA in US. The truth of matter is America is in Capitalism/Socialism country already as well as Germany, Japan Australia, and many other countries.

Huh?

A cursory review of my posts would make clear, to any American capable of deductive reasoning, that I am in Japan. I don't get Fox News. My main questions - as regards the so-called Tea Party - is why the Dems, the party of self-proclaimed populists and common folk, still cannot mount a challenge to the Tea Party. My other Q is why the MSM thinks vilifying Tea Party people helps Obama.

Super - As someone who makes over $250,000 a year and therefore an evil rich person in the eyes of Democrats, you should be worried about having your taxes go up.

Yeah, I am sure he NEEDS every penny. And if he got taxed a bit more, he would up and quit his job too.

I am doing okay with 1/8 that. But I am sure he works 8 times harder than I do!

Breit,

Tea partiers are people with a simple logic, why should the US keep spending X when it doesn't get that much income from taxes?

The reason why tea partiers are popular is because of the debt problem. The US is not some divine entity that can spend as much as it wants. The US is like a normal person, you can't keep borrowing what you don't have. Sooner or later, the banks will be knocking.

Also vilifying the tea party makes it look like a radical organization. Most people are moderates, not totallty on the liberal communists and not really on the republician facists. They like to be in the middle. MSM is trying to argue that these tea partiers are republician facists. Since people like to be in the middle, they tend to stay away and move in the opposite direction (i.e. democrats/obama).

Simple

huh?

If you cannot difine what I have said. You need to take ECON 101. No further comment. I am not here to give you a lecture.

Globalwatcher,

I have to disagree with you on one thing. the Us does not have a public infrasctructure because...most of our roads/bridges/etc are falling apart and really needs to be repaired

typo. I meant define.

The reason of refusing to give you a lecture to someone like you is that I will be wasting my time. Apprently you never had a higher education where the education is so available in US.

There is no short cut in education. Breit, I would like to see you having your own idea and thoughts as American.

I have to disagree with you on one thing. the Us does not have a public infrasctructure because...most of our roads/bridges/etc are falling apart and really needs to be repaired

Let me add another one to your lists, Heythia. Some international airports in US are serious concern to me. We are running these airports with 1960s standards. Pathetic! I always need to take a deep breath before taking off.

Finally those idiot american politicians came to agreement, the usual meangless battle between democrats vs republicans never end of course

Nice to see Congresswomen Gifford return to the house. Hers is an inspiring story of courage and strength. I stand up and applaud her return to the house of the people.

Thank you for noticing that, YuriOtani.

She successfully executed her job as she was elected to do under the OATH. She personally casted her vote.

Finally those idiot american politicians came to agreement, the usual meangless battle between democrats vs republicans never end of course

Yeah. They just look as stupid, toady, and clueless bozos as the ministry bureaucrats and lawmakers at the Diet in Japan. The big difference, however, is that American politicians--whether the Republicans, the Democrats, the Independent, the Tea Party candidates--take it very seriously and respond proactively when the crisis is in. I wonder how many of JP lawmakers or fickle bureaucrats can engage in a way like that assuming Japan had--I wouldn't be surprised if they had in near future, though-- a very similar national debt crisis?

My main questions - as regards the so-called Tea Party - is why the Dems, the party of self-proclaimed populists and common folk, still cannot mount a challenge to the Tea Party.

The populist Dems in Wisconsin are kicking the Tea Party to the curb. Only a few days to go before an unprecedented recall election kicks more Repubs out.

Takes it seriously? That's a hoot. Oh you mean like after katrina when it took Congress 3 weeks to finally declare a state of emergency and finally went in? yea let's jbash some more and blame American politics on Japan. You are a hoot

OK. You wanna make an argument that J-gov. is swift and active in coping with crisis in contrast to US counterpart? Go ahead if you can bring the case. It's questionable regarding that J-government is famous for procrastinating--i.e. a huge delay in disaster relief at the time of the 1995 Kobe-Hanshin Earthquake. Speaking of delay, guess how long did the J-gov. take to make an official statement of nuclear crisis in Fukushima --raising the level to category 7--at the time of 03/11 earthquake? Less than 3 weeks? Hell no. It's more than 2 months after the quake. J-gov. deserves what they've got. So many Japanese people are now losing trust in the government.

At a news conference Monday afternoon Boehner said the compromise would “solve this debt crisis and help get the American people back to work.”

This deal is just a drop in the bucket towards solving America's debt crisis. If Rep. Boehner said that it would "solve" the problem then he is out of his mind. The end result of this debt deal will be an increase in the total debt by upwards of an additional $2.4 trillion by the end of Obama's first term. President Obama will have racked up a whopping $6~7 trillion in additional debt - a fifty percent increase in the national debt - in a single term. His profligate spending must be stopped - not just slowed a little bit. The new debt cutting committee must come up with a huge amount of cuts in the near term - not in ten years. Democrats are using borrowed money to win elections on the back of America's children and grand-children. It's immoral and a disgrace.

yabits

The populist Dems in Wisconsin are kicking the Tea Party to the curb. Only a few days to go before an unprecedented recall election kicks more Repubs out.

Wisconsin, under Gov Walker, created half the new jobs in the nation in June.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

"Wisconsin bucked a lackluster national trend in June and added an estimated 12,900 private-sector jobs from May to June, representing the largest single-month gain of private sector jobs since September 2003."

...

"Citing the latest data, which Wisconsin receives from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Walker noted that Wisconsin effectively created half of the net new jobs in the nation last month, which was an abysmal month for national job creation."

http://www.jsonline.com/business/125961833.html

Global - if you don't believe VP Biden called the ordinary patriotic Americans in the Tea Party 'terrorists' have a look for yourself - -

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60421.html

It looks to me like 'journolist' is alive and well. The coordination of talking points across the MSM is striking, with Dem lawmakers they are all calling those who oppose redistribution via higher taxes as 'terrorists' or 'bomb-throwers' or 'suicide bombers'. Not the atmosphere Rep Giffords should have to endure upon return from the ordeal she went through.

Wisconsin, under Gov Walker, created half the new jobs in the nation in June.

And just how was Walker in any way directly responsible for that?

I guess that also means that Texas, under Gov. Perry, saw an awful decline in its job creation rate.

No matter. The progressives and populists of Wisconsin will throw the sleazebag Walker out of office in due time.

if you don't believe VP Biden called the ordinary patriotic Americans in the Tea Party 'terrorists' have a look for yourself - -

The New Republic, describing the insane TeaBPartiers who threatened to ruin the good faith and credit of the United States, ran a picture taken from one of the closing shots from the very first Dirty Harry movie. The one where the crazed killer had kidnapped a school bus and had his gun pointed at the head of one of his young hostages. I'd say that was a very apt comparison.

Terrorists? I guess that a crazed killer who takes hostages might get upset over being called that. Kind of like that passage from Judge Roy Bean where he has to apologize to his deputies (who had married the towns hookers) for calling their wives "whores."

I understand you have taken exception to my calling you whores. I'm sorry. I apologize. I ask you to note that I did not call you callous-ass strumpets, fornicatresses, or low-born gutter sluts. But I did say "whores." No escaping that. And for that slip of the tongue, I apologize.