Maybe I’m stupid, but if there’s no doubt that the increased taxes coming Jan 1 would drive the nation into recession…

then why are we considering raising any taxes? Especially when we already see the results among JUST AS A KNOWN EXAMPLE SET - Darden, Papa John’s and Applebee’s (all of whom have stopped building/expanding, announced layoffs, and dropped all/most workers to part time..to avoid increased burden going to the govt)

Just a question for the so called progressives.

Also, if we are acknowledging that the coming decrease in govt spending will be negative for the economy, why oppose an increase in govt spending?

Just a question for conservatives.

Perhaps they both feel the govt is a sensitive pilot which can manage fine adjustments to our benefit, then?

Are we doing ANYTHING consistent?

When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor we decided on a ‘Hitler First’ strategy to win the war. There were internal battles throughout but we stuck to that main theme EVEN WHEN COSTLY. Guadalcanal was not called ‘Operation Shoestring’ for nothing, and the naval battles, and losses around the island because of sparse air support which was going to the Atlantic were incredibly painful.

Is this war over our economic future less worthy of of a coherent strategy?

I hate to say it, but I think we are going over that cliff.

I did NOT hear compromise the other day. I heard Obama making the same mistake he made in 2009, when he thought he had been elected for fundamental change instead of being someone who was not George Bush. Now he thinks that idea has been granted mandate with the same margin no less than the Obama-drooling EJ Dionne said was no mandate for Bush in 2004.

I am sure that when this happens there will be a lot of noises that the new congress in after Jan 23rd or so, will deal immediately with it. But they won’t. The best we can hope for is that they will pass continuing resolutions of 30-90 days while they attempt to do the impossible and commit an act.

For those of us who actually believe that fiscal responsibility is virtue for nations as well as people, should we hope for a cataclysmic failure of Obama’s ideas so that the nation can adopt a consistent and positive course? Is that, in the end the course of least pain, in the way that a fellow named Sherman shortened the war in 1864-65?

How can we think of such pain?

But there IS going to be pain either way.

Without the basic work the Republican party needs to perform, the people are going to vote over and over by thin majorities, depending on the niceness/empathy factor coefficient of the Dem/Repub nominee, for the left side here.

Why wouldn’t they? 

The republicans are in effect, telling the American people when they hear of Sandy coming, they better have already figured out what they need or where to go to survive for 2 weeks AT THE LEAST, and be completely ready to take care of themselves.

The democrats are telling the American people in effect, evacuate when you hear the call, and depend on FEMA, and the authorities who know best. They will be taken care of and told where to go and what to do to survive.

Who would choose republicans in that scenario?

Perhaps only those, who by experience know the right answer.