WASHINGTON—Members of the U.S. Congress reported Wednesday they were continuing to carefully debate the issue of whether or not they should allow the country to descend into a roiling economic meltdown of historically dire proportions. "It is a question that, I think, is worthy of serious consideration: Should we take steps to avoid a crippling, decades-long depression that would lead to disastrous consequences on a worldwide scale? Or should we not do that?" asked House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), adding that arguments could be made for both sides, and that the debate over ensuring America’s financial solvency versus allowing the nation to default on its debt—which would torpedo stock markets, cause mortgage and interests rates to skyrocket, and decimate the value of the U.S. dollar—is “certainly a conversation worth having.” "Obviously, we don't want to rush to consensus on whether it is or isn't a good idea to save the American economy and all our respective livelihoods from certain peril until we've examined this thorny dilemma from every angle. And if we’re still discussing this matter on Aug. 2, well, then, so be it.” At press time, President Obama said he personally believed the country should not be economically ruined.

Fact or Fiction at TheOnion.com

But Obama also maintained his call for tax increases, which is all the President has been able to say in the lead up to this crisis. We asked the President's physician if there was any truth to the rumor that the President is suffering from a mysterious neurological disorder that compels him to say mention tax increases in every speech. Unfortunately, the physician refused to comment for this story.

Stupid Tea Party people.

stupid is a kind adjective relative to what the talking heads are calling tea party.

"Mama always said, 'Life is like a box of chocolates.'" ~ Forrest Gump

here is how some portray congressmen who maintain their principles.

He was "a hero" the paper said, noting "there was little doubt where his heart lay." Was "a rumpled, unfailingly modest man," a "firebrand," and although "his opponents always portrayed him as an extremist," [he] was "so happy, so comfortable, so unthreatening that he was able to ward off the attacks."

Which party do you think that congressmen was from?

Whig?

exactly

"Absolute faith corrupts as absolutely as absolute power." ~ E. Hoffer

I only wish I could be as nuanced as Obama, tax increases, so I could approach each issue, tax increases, with an open mind, tax increases, no preconceived solutions, tax increases, and examine each issue from all sides, tax increases, to come to a reasonable and sound conclusion.

We need tax increases.

Can someone explain the policy criticism of the tea party here? We can't cut the $3.5 trillion budget by $8 billion (0.25%)? We shouldn't have a balanced budget amendment? We should increase taxation?

This is what the democrats are planning to run on next year? Really?

(I understand some strategic criticism; I think they should have supported Boehner yesterday, etc. I just can't see why there's all this gleeful criticism. Nothing here is helpful to the democrats that I can identify.)

Nothing here seems to be helpful to ANYONE in our nation!

the compromise may be defeated today in the house...

The media will pull the wool over the eyes of the masses. That is why we have people blaming the tea party.

Nothing can be cut because it has all been committed J-man! The U.S. must live up to its committments!

So even if this first step passes, the national debt will only grow by $6 or $7 trillion over the next 10 years.

This baseline budgeting gimmick the federal government plays needs to be amended to a zero based budgeting concept where each year you must justify every dollar you want to spend, not simply raise the base 8% year after year after year.....

Why not just hold budget items at their current levels for next year, and do a 3% increase the following year, hold it for year 3, then another 3% increase, etc. until we get this mess at least a little closer to straightening out?

I know, commitments; maybe it's time to break some of these commitments until we get our house in order.

Pale, the defense budget, welfare, social security and health care payments are all negotiable. Those can be cut. Sure, not without some pain. But if you see what I did in the SS portion, that is how you do it.

So next year would the budget go down for SS? If you start the rule next year it would. SS is a tough one because people have been banking on it. But medicare, and welfare and government pensions are not. Nor is defense. We can act now.

But Nancy Pelosi is saving the world as we know it!

(\\ sarcasm font \\)

C'mon, J-man. You get it. I think you just want to argue.

I understand the practical criticism (half a loaf is better than none and all that). But I don't see how the tea party is going to come out of this looking bad for wanting to cut the deficit more or demanding a balanced budget amendment or refusing to increase taxation. But maybe that's just me.

No, I don't just want to argue. Convince everyone that my ideals are the correct ones, maybe. But arguing for argument's sake, no.

Something is Wrong

^^^ that is why Nancy Pelosi is working so hard....

So? What's your point?

that she is trying to save us from the dark side

Oh. Are you just taking the opportunity to make a snarky comment about Pelosi on the side, or does your observation have something to do with this conversation. Hey, if you want to be snarky, I get it, but if it really is on topic, then I wanted to understand. It's all good.