Our recent post on the creative advertising associated with U.S. President Barack Obama’s socialized medicine law generated quite the response.
Over on Facebook, local “Occupy” leader Walid Hakim disputed our characterization of the law.
“Single-payer is socialist, Obamacare is very much rooted in capitalism,” Hakim wrote.
Really? What part of government-created, government-run “markets” fueled by government-mandated purchases – all in the name of expanded government dependency – would anyone consider to be “rooted in capitalism?”
Just asking …
Meanwhile over on our comment board another Obama supporter was far less diplomatic in his assessment of our reporting.
“Obama stomped your pussy asses and you can’t take it!!” the commenter wrote. “Keep it up Fits, love watching as your posts become more and more frantic!!”
Ah, the marketplace of ideas …
Anyway, in the interests of sounding less “frantic” we will now submit without comment that America’s national debt has officially crossed the $17 trillion mark.
That’s $17,000,000,000,000. Twelve zeroes.
(For last September’s “frantic” post about the debt crossing the $16 trillion mark, click here).
Actually, if you want some “frantic” commentary about deficit spending, here’s Obama himself speaking back in July of 2008 …
22 comments
Buck Farack
O-TAY!
With a cattle prod wrapped in razor wire.
“The problem is, is that the way Bush has done it over the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $5 trillion for the first 42 presidents — #43 added $4 trillion by his lonesome, so that we now have over $9 trillion of debt that we are going to have to pay back — $30,000 for every man, woman and child. That’s irresponsible. It’s unpatriotic.” – Barack Obama, July 3, 2008
Jim, you must have forgot to post your comment from below here so I will help you out.
Jim wrote:
“When did Congress turn over the credit card? Oh, they didn’t. So who is running up the debt?”
Your welcome Jim.
Thanks, I did not see this. To many posts. Of course I agree its the same. Only Congress can run up the debt. The President, does not have that power.
They may not have the power but they do have the power to influence.
A $Billion here, a $Billion there.
Craigslist makes turning food stamps into cash a SNAP
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/22/craigslist-makes-turning-food-stamps-into-cash-snap/
[Excerpt]
Food stamp recipients are turning the government handouts into quick cash with ads on Craigslist, despite efforts to stem fraud.
The federally-funded grocery assistance coupons — which are issued by states in the form of debit cards under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — are being sold on the online bulletin board as well as auction sites like eBay. FoxNews.com found several offerings at Craigslist sites around the country, where the sellers offered the welfare benefits at large discounts from face value.
“If you need food. This is not a gimmick or game,” read one posting from Philadelphia. “Please let me know, I have food stamps for sale….. Serious Replies only!!!”
“I have $500 worth and it costs $350 cash. No I will not do half!” read another posting from the Atlanta area. “I don’t need to sell. If you would like to get an extra $150 to $175 in grocery and pay no taxes and can see the benefit that you will still be saving then email me or call me and we can arrange the whole deal as soon as you like.”
Ummmm… Gosh, wheres hufpo? Snarks? Sweepin? Hmmmmm.
In the video, he stated that Bush-43 brought it up to over $9 Trillion in debt. One more $Trillion + change and Obama-44 will be doubling down.
How high can we go?
Here’s a graph for you
Trillions of Dollars
17_______________________________Obama
16_______________________________Obama
15_______________________________Obama
14_______________________________Obama
13_______________________________Obama
12_______________________________Obama
11_______________________________Obama
10_______________________________Obama
09________________________Bush43_Obama
08________________________Bush43_Obama
07________________________Bush43_Obama
06________________________Bush43_Obama
05__________Bush41_Clinton_Bush43_Obama
04___Reagan_Bush41_Clinton_Bush43_Obama
03___Reagan_Bush41_Clinton_Bush43_Obama
Pres_Reagan_Bush41_Clinton_Bush43_Obama
Here, i will fix this chart for you.
*********National Debt in Trillions of Dollars********
17_______________________________Congress
16_______________________________Congress
15_______________________________Congress
14_______________________________Congress
13_______________________________Congress
12_______________________________Congress
11_______________________________Congress
10_______________________________Congress
09_______________________________Congress
08_______________________________Congress
07_______________________________Congress
06_______________________________Congress
05_______________________________Congress
04_______________________________Congress
Yeah, there’s definitely truth in that – course the president has a veto he can use anytime he wants to…
And if Congress would give the President a line item veto, I am sure he would.
The truth hurts huh?
Obama stubbed his toe, QUICK do a blog post.
Sic should stick to sports…er.. on second thought his picks are so shitty maybe it is time for him to get out in the real world and get a job.
The horror….the horror.
The problem is, is that the way Obama has done it over the last five years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $9 trillion for the first 43 presidents — #44 added $8 trillion by his lonesome, so that we now have over $17 trillion of debt that we are going to have to pay back — $53,000 for every man, woman and child. That’s irresponsible. It’s unpatriotic.
When did Congress turn over the credit card? Oh, they didn’t. So who is running up the debt?
We all seem to forget that the Executive branch can’t spend any funds not provided by the Congress. Perhaps you are attempting to work the wrong end of the equation.
Christ.
The national debt is going up, yes, but this year’s deficit is still slated to be far lower than last year’s. And again, this whole shutdown/debt ceiling nonsensical battle that just took place? It was never about the god damn debt. It was about health care reform, which ironically, isn’t adding onto the national debt. You know what would? REPEALING the Affordable Care Act.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/09/25/fact-check-repealing-obamacare-adds-to-deficit/
You know what would? REMOVING the medical device tax.
http://crfb.org/blogs/house-cr-would-worsen-deficit-repealing-medical-device-tax
It was never about the fucking debt. Remember, Republicans publicly admitted they wanted to fund EVERYTHING ELSE. It was about taking away Obama’s signature health care reform, or delaying it, or taking out some provisions that would have worsened the deficit. It was a wasted opportunity by Republicans to chase a ghost that even those with a smidge of honesty admit will never fucking happen until at the very least 2017.
It is increasingly my opinion that the Republican party is making such a huge deal out of Obamacare simply because it serves as a distraction from having to make cuts they don’t want to make.
And there is quite a difference between single payer or a public option versus a regulated private market offering services from a common location on a government-run site with poorer families receiving some government assistance in affording those plans, even if you want to cross your arms and call it SocialCommuMarxism.
The only reason the deficit will be lower is sequestration – it has nothing to do with responsible government or the ACA. Keep believing that the ACA will save money, and pay for itself just like Medicare does (not).
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/gov-haley-sc-needs-aca.fb40?source=s.fb&r_by=392437
unless I’m mistaken, the US has not had a budget for the last five years. Perhaps if we started over with an actual budget and EVERY department had to start with a zero budget and document the need for every dollar it requested and show in the Constitution where such spending was authorized, you would see a huge decrease in Federal spending. Once you get past the common defense, common commerce, common legal system, foreign relations,and common postal system, everything else belongs to the states.