Is a balanced budget amendment to the constitution a good idea?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The warnings continue that if the debt ceiling isn't raised by August 2, the U.S. could default on its debt obligations. That's less than a month away. If it happens, this already weak economy could get its legs knocked out from under it.
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On Thursday, the top two leaders from each party in the House and Senate will meet with President Barack Obama in the White House to talk about reaching a final agreement. Good luck.
Nothing much has changed - Republicans want spending cuts and no tax increases. Democrats want to avoid steep cuts to social services and get rid of tax breaks for wealthier Americans. No reason to expect one side or the other is suddenly going to say, "You're right. Let's do it your way."
And to complicate matters further, there is a growing group of Senate and House Republicans who say their vote to increase the debt ceiling would be contingent on caps on federal spending as well as the passage of a Constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget every year.
It might sound good, but it would be an uphill battle. Amending the Constitution requires a two-thirds majority vote in the House and Senate. In other words, if all 47 Republican senators support the measure, 20 more Democrats would have to join them. And even if it passed the House and Senate, the measure then would have to be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures, which could take years.
Critics of a balanced budget amendment say the results could be disastrous as the population of this country ages and relies more heavily on social services. The Senate and House versions of the legislation require a balanced budget starting in 2018, but both also mandate how it must be done. Federal spending would be capped at 18% of the gross domestic product - that spells major cuts. And two-thirds of Congress would have to vote to approve any tax increase.
That may be difficult math to do down the road. And as usual, they are talking about "down the road."
Here’s my question to you: Is a balanced budget amendment to the constitution a good idea?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Should Rep. Anthony Weiner resign?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It took U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-New York, more than a week to admit that he lied about sending an explicit picture of himself to a young college student in Seattle and that he has carried on inappropriate online exchanges with a total of six women. But it only took a few minutes during his news conference to tell us he will not resign. He should.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/06/07/art.anthony.weiner.jpg caption="Rep. Weiner admitted sending a lewd Twitter photo of himself to a woman and lying about it."]
House Minority Leader and fellow Democrat Nancy Pelosi announced that there will be an ethics investigation - not that those ever mean much, ask Charlie Rangel - into whether Weiner used government resources to send the messages or broke other ethics rules. If lying is considered unethical, an investigation is really unnecessary.
That's the crux of this matter. Not only did he send those sleazy pictures, pretty sick stuff in and of itself, he repeatedly lied about doing so. He sat down with countless reporters and members of the media and lied over and over and over again.
This leads one to wonder: What else does he lie about? How can his constituents or anyone else for that matter trust anything he says?
Weiner said in a statement he will "welcome and fully cooperate with an investigation by the House Ethics Committee."
Pelosi has not asked Weiner to step down as she did when the Ethics Committee launched a similar probe into former U.S. Rep. Chris Lee of New York, the married Republican who got caught trying to meet a woman over Craigslist last year. But then Pelosi has always had a convenient set of double standards. And when it comes to members of Congress, the phrase "Ethics Committee" more often than not proves to be an oxymoron.
Here’s my question to you: Should Rep. Anthony Weiner resign?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Can Rep. Anthony Weiner survive Weinergate?
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) encounters a group of reporters as he leaves his office. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Watching Wolf' Blitzer's interview with Congressman Anthony Weiner yesterday was sort of like watching one of those Buddhist monks set himself on fire. You feel bad for the guy, but it's impossible not to watch it.
Weiner has spent a lot of time trying to talk himself out of a hole over the past few days, but the hole may be getting deeper.
The incident in question - a lewd photo sent from Weiner's Twitter account to a female college student that went out to 45,000 other people as well - was bad enough. But watching the way Weiner's been handling the media circus surrounding it is even worse. And it could kill his career.
Maybe he should take a lesson from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Yesterday we reported Christie flew a state helicopter to his son's baseball game. Bad move for a budget conscious guy many hope will run for president. But today he admitted he made a mistake and said he'll pay for the cost out of his own pocket - $2,500. Chances are he won't do that again and the story now will go away.
For Weiner, that's not happening.
Prior to what's now being called Weinergate, the congressman, an outspoken but articulate liberal, has been rumored to be considering a run for mayor of New York City in 2013. The events of the past week could endanger that.
Weiner represents a district in Queens and Brooklyn that traditionally votes Democratic. Last year, he faced his toughest battle for re-election in his 13-year congressional career, winning just 59 percent of the votes. In all previous races, he won more than 66 percent of the votes.
Of course, a run is still two years off, and a lot can happen in politics - and political scandals - in that time.
Here’s my question to you: Can Rep. Anthony Weiner survive Weinergate?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Should federal employees earn more than the governors of the states where they work?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
More than 77,000 federal workers make more money each year than the governors of the states where they work. That's according to a new congressional research report. The figures are based on 2009 salaries, the most recent data available.
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It comes at a time when cutting budgets and the size of government are hot button issues.
Almost a quarter of those earning more than their governors were doctors, more than 18,000 according to the report. The second-highest percentage is air traffic controllers, about 5,000 out-earned their states' governors. There are also more than 4,000 attorneys on the list, 22 librarians and one interior designer.
Say what?
Governors' salaries differ from state to state. The lowest is Maine, $70,000 a year. The highest is California, where the governor makes more than $212,000 a year. Colorado had the largest number of workers making more than its governor, more than 10,000. Delaware had the fewest, 37.
A spokesperson for the American Federation of Government Employees, a union that represents more than 600,000 federal employees, discounted the report, telling the Washington Times that many of these employees work in higher paying medical fields. Others also say many of these workers have reached those salaries after many years on the job.
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Does GOP have the right idea when it comes to budget?
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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It’s so far, so good for House Republicans when it comes to how to cut the deficits and balance our budget.
According to a new USA Today/Gallup poll, Americans believe the Republican Party is the party better able to handle the budget problems facing this country and to fix the economy. Apparently that six-month-long game of chicken they played with the 2011 budget really paid off for them. At least for now. However, a much bigger battle over the budget and spending awaits. When Congress returns from its two-week spring break and raising the debt ceiling is front and center, we'll see if popular opinion changes.
It might. According to that same USA Today/Gallup poll, Americans are split on whether the deficit plan drafted by Republican House Budget Chair Paul Ryan or the one proposed by President Barack Obama is the right path for the country. Two-thirds of Americans are concerned the GOP plan for reducing the deficit would cut too deeply into Medicare and Social Security. Everyone wants the deficit cut, but no one wants to cut entitlements.
But it's a topic that's not going away. Republican House Speaker John Boehner said in an interview with Politico on Monday that there might not be a deal on raising the debt ceiling unless Democrats agree to rein in discretionary spending and reform Medicaid and Medicare. Things could get very ugly very quickly when Congress reconvenes.
Here’s my question to you: Do the Republicans have the right idea when it comes to the budget?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Should U.S. be funding Mideast rebel groups?
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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
In the abstract, it's a noble calling: Support oppressed people's yearning to breath free. Over the years, the United States has made a general practice of coming down on the side of people who are fighting for their freedom. But now that there are a dozen uprisings in the Middle East, it's probably worth taking a closer look to see if it's really that good of an idea.
Syria, for example, has been the scene of unrest since mid-March. The Washington Post reports that the U.S. State Department has secretly financed several Syrian political opposition groups since 2005. The Post reporting was based on diplomatic cables the folks at Wiki-leaks got a hold of. The State Department refused comment on the authenticity of the cables, but a deputy assistant secretary of state said the State Department does not endorse political parties or movements. Baloney.
If you provide aid - military, financial, humanitarian - you do.
In Libya, nobody knows who we are supporting but by participating in NATO-led air strikes, we're supporting someone. And as tensions continue to rise in Yemen, Bahrain, Iran, and elsewhere, we may want to exercise caution about who we are getting into bed with...
Oh, and the other part is we don't have any money. We really don't have any money. And for people in this country who have been unemployed for years, can't find a job and are faced with the thought of their unemployment benefits running out, telling them we're giving cash to a shadowy poorly organized dysfunctional group of malcontents in some faraway middle eastern country ain't going to go down so well.
Here’s my question to you: Should the U.S. be funding rebel groups in the Middle East?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Threat of govt shutdown cut $38B: How will serious deficit reduction ever be accomplished?
(PHOTO CREDIT: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It was close, but less than two hours before the federal government was set to shut down Friday night, Republicans and Democrats came to an agreement on $38.5 billion in spending cuts to the 2011 fiscal budget.
All the expected self-congratulatory back-patting and smiles accompanied the deal. Some even touted the measure as creating the largest spending cuts in American history. But let's not forget the fiscal year is half over already, and they've been putting this off for six months. Let's also not forget that when it comes to the debt crisis in this country, the 2011 budget is only the tip of the iceberg. In the eight days leading up to the vote Friday night alone, our national debt rose by $54 billion. We are anticipated to run a deficit of $1.4 trillion this year, so $38.5 billion is chump change.
The next big fight on Capitol Hill will be over raising the nation's debt ceiling. The Treasury Department says we'll reach that limit of $14.3 trillion dollars around May 16. Starting this weekend, Congress will be on a two-week spring break. That makes a lot of sense. That means when they return, they'll only have about two weeks to hammer out a deal before the country runs out of money. Many Republicans have said they will not vote to raise the debt ceiling under any circumstances. Period.
President Barack Obama is expected weigh in on all of this Wednesday in a speech that will lay out his plan for reducing the deficit. The president will propose cuts to Medicare and Medicaid and call for reforms to Social Security. He will also suggest raising taxes for Americans making more than $250,000 a year.
All things we've heard before. All things that are needed and, of course, nothing's been done. But Congress is going on vacation.
Here’s my question to you: If it takes the threat of a government shutdown to cut $38 billion, how will serious deficit reduction ever be accomplished?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How much do you care if there is a gov't shutdown?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Our government is broken. The Democratic Congress under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid chose not to bother passing a budget in September, when it was due.
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Now, because of disagreement over a few billion in spending cuts when we are running trillion-dollar-plus deficits, the federal government is set to shut down Friday night.
And we go around telling other countries how they should conduct their affairs.
A new Gallup Poll says nearly 60% of Americans want lawmakers to vote for a compromise on these budget cuts and avoid a government shutdown rather than continuing to hold out for a budget they agree with. Not surprisingly, when you break it down by party, more Republican voters than Democratic voters want their party leaders to stick to their guns and not give in.
Fifty-one percent of Republican voters say their leaders should hold out for the budget plan they want, even if it means a government shutdown. And 44% said they should agree to a compromise.
But only 27% of Democrats say their leaders should hold out for the plan they want even if it means a shutdown, while 68% say Democratic lawmakers should compromise, even if it means passing a budget they disagree with.
The Gallup Poll also found that Americans think President Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress are doing the better job on the budget than the Republicans are – 41% to 34%. But 20% of those polled had no opinion.
Here’s my question to you: How much do you care if there is a government shutdown?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What does it mean that the U.S. government spent 8 times more than it took in in March?
Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (C) speaks during a markup hearing before the House Budget Committee on Capitol Hill. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The clock is ticking. The federal government will shut down Friday night if Congress does not agree on a 2011 budget. Republicans in the House and Democrats in the Senate appear to be billions of dollars apart on spending cuts and a deal is nowhere in sight.
Pretty pathetic.
Oh, and President Obama is off fundraising in Pennsylvania and New York tonight. But apparently they are all going to try to get together at the White House when the president gets back there later.
But our problems with debt and spending are staggering. And our lawmakers' failure to address the issue in any meaningful way borders on being criminal.
Try this on. According to the Treasury Department, the federal government spent more than eight times what it brought in in the month of March. Eight times.
And by the end of this fiscal year in September, the national debt will exceed $15.4 trillion.
How did we get here?
Well for one, the size of government has gotten out of hand: More people now work for the government - 22.5 million Americans - than work in the manufacturing, farming, fishing, forestry, mining and utilities industries combined.
Republican Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin, the new chairman of the House Budget Committee, says that the United States is at a "tipping point" in its debt crisis. He says the Congressional Budget Office predicts our economy will simply be unable to continue past 2037 if something serious isn't done soon.
Here’s my question to you: What does it mean that the U.S. government spent 8 times more than it took in in March?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 6pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
GOP getting serious about meaningful cuts in federal spending?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The prospect of a federal government shutdown this Friday is hanging over the heads of lawmakers.
Again.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/04/04/art.fiscal.jpg caption="House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan."]
You see, they still can't agree on spending cuts for the 2011 fiscal year budget.
They've been pushing this off since October, and they're still not much closer to reaching an agreement.
President Obama has summoned congressional leaders to the White House on Tuesday, but don't hold your breath.
Meanwhile, a much, much bigger budget battle is shaping up.
Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan, the new chairman of the House Budget Committee, is expected to release the House Republicans' 2012 budget resolution Tuesday.
Ryan's plan calls for cutting the federal deficit by $4 trillion over the next decade - far exceeding what President Obama's debt commission called for in December.
The Ryan plan calls for tax reforms and across-the-board spending cuts, returning discretionary spending to 2006 levels.
It will also dramatically change the Medicare program.
Ryan's plan is the first one to touch the so-called entitlement programs.
It's a politically dangerous move, but a necessary one.
By the end of this fiscal year, the national debt will exceed $15.4 trillion.
The necessity of cutting spending and addressing our debt crisis may finally be getting legs. A bipartisan group of senators known as the "Gang of Six" is also working on a proposal to cut the deficit by $4 trillion using recommendations made by President Obama's deficit commission - recommendations that have been ignored so far.
Here’s my question to you: Do you think Republicans are getting serious about making meaningful cuts in federal spending?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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