GOP Senator, a deficit hawk and tax reform champion: Let's Raise Rates

[Franzl]

Medical malpractice reform is something I would give them. It's actually a good idea and when Republicans actually offer one...

[Franzl]

Medical malpractice reform is something I would give them. It's actually a good idea and when Republicans actually offer one...

Yeah... the Republicans, not you, are the one's acting in bad faith.

Isn't that acting in good faith? Supporting a policy because it's actually a good policy?

[Franzl]

Medical malpractice reform is something I would give them. It's actually a good idea and when Republicans actually offer one...

Yeah... the Republicans, not you, are the one's acting in bad faith.

Isn't that acting in good faith? Supporting a policy because it's actually a good policy?

Your characterization of the GOP as hardly ever offering good ideas is a tad hackish.

Well most of the GOP's proposals regarding deficit reduction are beyond absurd. Mitt Romney was to balance the budget through a combination of lowering taxes and increasing military spending, and apparently most Republicans didn't seem to notice or care about this small detail.

So yes, when something actually worthwhile comes from the GOP on this issue, one should take it and factor it into a deal. Preferably sooner rather than later before the nutters primary Coburn and co. for "surrendering".

[Franzl]

Do you Democrats HEAR yourselves? You could NEVER see your party has having ANY flaws. You are right 100% of the time, and everyone else is always wrong.

Frodo is proposing real ideas, but as awhole the left is refusing to give the right anything, yet they snicker at us for not budging.

Well there are a few things that can be comprised on, but you really should remember who won the election. (I know that doesn't mean all that much in the U.S., but it should at least allow Democrats a larger amount of control.)

[Franzl]

Frodo is proposing real ideas

Like capping the growth of Medicare? It just sounds so great doesn't it? Until you start to figure out how to go about it.....

Medical malpractice would really be a good one to give them because that really does have an effect on the astronomical price of American healthcare, I would imagine.

I'd also be willing to entertain the idea of rasing the SS eligibility age, but certainly not that of Medicare.

[Franzl]

How do people buy into the idea that the GOP is suddenly willing to negotiate out of the goodness of the hearts? They want to negotiate because they have nothing and they deserve nothing. Taxes go back up to the levels of the economically catastrophic 1990s on Jan 1.  There's no need to piss away Medicare and Social Security just to get something that happens anyway. If the GOP wants to negotiate, it needs to be against something that will not happen automatically in a few weeks.  As an example, I'd like to see the SS tax kept at 4.2% permanently, but applied to all income without a cap. Then all seniors should get the same SS amount, perhaps retaining the option for a lower payout starting at 62. This is not rocket science.

The GOP can refuse to raise the debt limit, the Dems want to pass the middle class tax cuts on a standalone basis, and the GOP will go along with that. Anything the Dems want in more revenue beyond the 4 percentage point rise in rates for "the rich," needs to be in exchange for entitlement reform. If the Dems refuse to deal with entitlements, or want 4 dollars of higher revenues for every dollar in cuts, or nothing, then the GOP should use the debt limit rise as the short circuit mechanism to preclude a continuation of the kick the can game, or the Dem 4 to 1 game. It is come to Jesus time now. Sure you don't like it Memphis. I understand.

What makes you think the GOP (as a whole) is actually interested in deficit reduction, Torie?