Wait, wasn't he just doing what Obama said? Didn't the big O say that we had to stop spending irresponsibly?

Requiring that the government actual be able to fund the services it provides? What a shocking concept. I can see how that could make a Progressive a bit...frothy.

From the people who brought you, "It didn't cost me anything. I just put it on my credit card!"

Re: the retweet...

Woekay-fine, but what are you going to say when savages start enslaving retarded children in abattoirs? I sincerely trust that you'll want to sound a righteous alarm: But at that hour, "grotesque violation of rights" will have been used up for you.

You'll have to find other words. Good luck.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if Bunning was truly deciding to take a stand on principle and decided to vote against mandates merely because we have no idea how we're going to pay for them? Yes, it would be very nice. However, it would also be terribly naive.

I defy anyone to show me a single congressman who has voted consistently against every law when we weren't clear on the funding for it. Show me a Senator who claims to be opposed to a bill merely on the grounds that we don't know where the money is coming from, and with minimal digging into their voting record, I'll show you a hypocrite.

Amy, former Detroit Tigers baseball pitcher Jim Bunning isn't being pricked by his conscience. He's just being a prick. He isn't running for reelection and his own party is forcing him out.

So, unless you consider yourself petty, vindictive and spiteful, Jim Bunning isn't your type of guy at all.

By the way, Amy, you're usually up to date on stuff, so you're entitled to a slip up. By the time you got this article posted, Bunning had already capitulated. All it took was wall-to-wall coverage of Republicans looking like total assholes.

I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I'm looking at possibly paying up to half my take-home pay for health premiums, if Anthem has its way and I should be so unlucky as to actually get sick. Even Kaiser may start raising rates, even on long-term members - and that won't help those of us who weren't smart enough to get on Kaiser at birth.

Then I see bankers still getting huge bonuses with my tax money - which I still pay to a government that's now giving it away to the same people who destroyed us. Yes, the public was greedy too, but not all of it. I haven't bought any overpriced homes that I couldn't really afford, or borrowed on home equity at inflated valuatsion, or done anything worse than carry maybe a thousand in credit card debt.

Unemployment benefits are also a form of giveaway. As is Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Three programs I may never see benefit from myself. And actually, I have managed to stay off the dole, something I'm very grateful for. Last January I thought I would have to be a stripper but even that is better than handout checks.

But, unemployment is partly due to the same folks who are still reaping big bonuses. So yes, maybe unemployment benefits should be extended. Especially for those people with kids and dependents.

This position may not be rational enough for some of you, but it's 5am and it's how I feel.

Is he up for reelection this year? Can I donate to him? I've got to go look and see.

Wrong as usual, Patrick. He capitulated because Republicans are pussies.

We're giving people 2 years of unemployment benefits in some states. where does that money come from? Oh, yeah - by increasing unemployment insurance premiums on the companies that are still left, and raiding the tax coffers to pick up the slack.

This episode is valuable for one purpose - to emphasize that EVERYTHING Obama says comes with an expiration date - even legislation if needs be.

I defy anyone to show me a single congressman who has voted consistently against every law when we weren't clear on the funding for it.

Last night on the news it was reported that Bunning said the government could take $10 billion out of the stimulus money to use for the unemployment extension. But he still wouldn't let the reporter get on the elevator with him! o.O

He has been consistent. He has the hold on because congress passed a law that spending must be matched with equal cuts. They now are trying to ignore the law and he is holding them to it. The Republicans that are applying pressure to him are the dishonorable ones.

What's next? Unemployment benefits extended for life? Get laid off once and never have to work again; just keep collecting unemployment.

Two years is an awfully long time to be on unemployment. My cousin has been on it for a full year now; he was offered a job, but turned it down because it paid less than he was making before. Unwillingness to accept reality on his part should not result in a bigger tax bill for me. I'm making less than I was before, and so is just about everyone who had to change jobs within the last two years. Those who have hung onto their high-paying jobs should save money while they consider the fact that there are multiple people out there willing to take their jobs for half the pay. Is your company smart for keeping you on at that rate? I don't CARE how much you were making before; if minimum wage is all you can get, then go get minimum wage. Last year, Americans got more money from the government than they paid in taxes. It's time for a reality check that should have happened years ago.

To me the real shame of this is the mainstream media doing a witch hunt of the guy. He voted on a bill, and said why. They are making him out to be the devil incarnate for being responsible.

Patrick, if you ever bring up "paygo" here, I'm goind to take those words and throw them back in your face.

Oh, look, "the measure also prevents a 21% cut in Medicare payments to doctors." Isn't that cut part of the master plan to "pay" for healthcare "reform"? The cut that they will never actually let happen.

Cousin Dave: Patrick, if you ever bring up "paygo" here, I'm goind to take those words and throw them back in your face.

As you gather up those words to throw back at me, Cousin Dave, you should notice something about them: I didn't say one way or another how I felt about Bunning's decision. I only said that his stance on the issue isn't motivated by some noble (read: realistic) idea that we should only fund things when we have an idea of where the money is coming from. I only said that even a cursory glance at Bunning's voting record would quickly show that this supposed stance of his is not at all consistent with his previous voting record; therefore I don't buy this idea that we have this one honorable senator who thinks we shouldn't pay for things as we go.

He was being a petulant dickhead about it, because his party is giving him the old heave-ho.

Momof4, read my previous post. He's not running for reelection.

Senator Bunning is a grandstanding asshole. He showed some real class when he responded, "tough shit" at one point.

Amy writes: "I don't care why he's doing it or have illusions about what kind of guy he is (he's a politician!); I'm just glad he is and wish it would happen more often."

This. I don't care what his motives are and don't hold onto any fantasies that he is a "good guy". The point is, at this moment, he is the only one who is acting responsibly.

Sabrina: I don't care what his motives are and don't hold onto any fantasies that he is a "good guy". The point is, at this moment, he is the only one who is acting responsibly.

Not any more. As I pointed out in my second post on this thread, Bunning has knuckled under the pressure had given up his opposition. In fact, he did so before Amy even posted her article.

"Dirty Harry" Reid could have easily brought this to a vote, and Bunning's act would have been nothing more than a symbolic gesture. However, Harry Reid decided to make political hay with this, and succeeded. "Look which side is against extending unemployment benefits!" is what he said. (No, Crid. That's not a direct quote.)

So, recognizing that going against unemployment benefits at a time when we're at double digit unemployment percentages was not in the Republicans best interest, Bunning collapsed like a house of cards thanks to pressure from Republicans.

hmmm, I thought it was all the other crap tagged on to the bill that he had the biggrest problem with... that's the way these bills are, they all have poison pills in them so that you have to vote for them because they have something popular in them, evn though they are larding it on the bottom end...

yeah, I think it's impossible to be a pricipled politician, but maybe some more than others...

Where were the Republican filibusters back during the Bush years when we were running deficits? Oh I get it, Democrat = bad, Republican = good.

Location: Anyblog, Anywhere, USA

Zeke: "I'm upset about all this runaway government growth and spending. The country can't afford it, and this won't end well if we don't do something to stop it."

Cleke: "Where were you during the Bush years? He spent money like crazy! You must be a Republican!"

Zeke: "Not in the least. I've been voting Libertarian since I was 18."

Cleke: .... *blink* ... *blink* ... "That's weird. Don't you know voting for a third party is just a wasted vote?"

Shit. Patrick... now that I went back and checked, you are right. I take it back.

Patrick, you can think of Bunning as a hypocrite if you want to. All I'm pointing out is that Bunning was attempting to hold the leftists to their word on their own concept, namely "paygo", which they always bring up when somebody proposes tax cuts, but which they conveniently forget about when they want spending increases. Bunning was simply demanding that the unemployment insurance be paid for out of unspent stimulus funds, so that it would be revenue-neutral. Reid told him and everybody who backed that idea to, in effect, shut the hell up and don't worry about where the money comes from. That's precisely the kind of thinking that got us to where we are.

And I don't buy for a minute that Reid scored political points by doing so. The Tea Partiers will know the truth. Reid, once again, stepped on his own crank.

well Crusader... it depends a LOT on what you think the deficit used to be vs. what it is...

and these were the projected, they are actually worse...

I know that orders of magnitude are relative, to that fierce moral urgency...

I heard earlier today that Bunning gave in. The Republicans were pressuring him to give in, because they didn't want to appear mean and heartless by supporting the blocking of this particular bill, according to FOX News. They understood Bunning's point, they just didn't want to do it with this bill (the "mean and heartless" thing).

This idea that government is "mean and heartless" when it puts a hold on government jobs and benefits makes me sick, especially when it's these Democrats and establishment Republicans who are being mean and heartless to the taxpayers (and their grandchildren through deficit spending).

By the way, Harry Reid would look good in an orange jumpsuit, don'tcha think?

Cousin Dave: And I don't buy for a minute that Reid scored political points by doing so. The Tea Partiers will know the truth. Reid, once again, stepped on his own crank.

You repose more faith in the average American than I do. Maybe I'm cynical.

And I do agree that Democrats are not abiding by the Paygo Plan they supported. Which was first proposed during the last administration as a way to undermine Bush's war effort and tax cuts.

If more Republicans had simply held their ground and reminded Democrats of their own standards, they would have been effectively hoisted on their own petard.

Heck, Bunning hasn't even been consistent in this exact situation... Under Bush, he voted FOR (and said that his state was very glad about) an extention of unemployment benefits that weren't paid for.

Show me a Senator, Jen and Patrick, and I'll show you somebody who looks good in an orange jumpsuit. (Are y'all detecting a theme here?)

But he still wouldn't let the reporter get on the elevator with him! o.O

Show me a mainstream media reporter, Flynne, and I'll show you somebody who looks good in a homeless shelter.

“Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules. You can kill them with this, for they can no more live up to their own rules than the Christian Church can live up to Christianity.”

The proggs really hate it when you use their own strategy against them.

There's a great article on this topic in last week's Economist. Bottom line, objectionism is at its essence not a "failure" of US government, but US government working exactly as it's supposed to and was designed to.

I don't know how anyone can think this insanely high deficit is a good idea, particularly using a deficit to fund frivolity and excess.

I don't know how anyone can think this insanely high deficit is a good idea, particularly using a deficit to fund frivolity and excess.

It's often said that one should not attribute to malice that which may be adequately explained by stupidity.

But everything this administration has done leave only the observation that oblivion is the intent.

The Cloward-Piven strategy

The goal? Socialism. Not that it's ever worked in the history of man, but that's what they want. Because they all imagine that they will be the ones wearing the boot, not the ones being throat-stomped by it.

Gee that's nice because you all have jobs. I know lots of people who are out of work because there are no JOBS available. How about we put forth a really good jobs bill so more jobs are created and then also pass some health care regulation like every other country in the world?

In the meantime, stop worrying about the deficit that 10 years of war has created. Lets do what make sense, and actually work as a team here America.

How about we put forth a really good jobs bill so more jobs are created and then also pass some health care regulation like every other country in the world?

Public sector jobs (the only kind government can create) are useless for economic recovery as they require growth in the private sector for their financing.

The only way to grow the private sector is for the government to get the hell out of the way and stop threatening to squash businesses.

And we already have too much health care regulation in this country. It's why you can't buy a non-comprehensive health-care plan in most states. Again, get the government out of the way.

Government is not the solution. Government is the problem.

From Wikipedia (no link so TAG spam filter doesn't get me) . . .

"James Paul David "Jim" Bunning (born October 23, 1931) is an American politician and former pitcher in Major League Baseball.

Bunning pitched in the Major Leagues for 17 seasons, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career strikeouts in Major League history; he is currently 17th. Bunning pitched a perfect game in 1964, a feat that has been accomplished only eighteen times in Major League history. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.

After retiring from baseball, Bunning returned to his native northern Kentucky and was subsequently elected to the city council, and then the state senate, in which he served as minority leader. In 1986, Bunning was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 4th congressional district, and served in the House from 1987 to 1999. He was elected to the United States Senate from Kentucky in 1998 and has served there since 1999 as the Republican junior U.S. Senator. Bunning is currently the sixth oldest U.S. Senator and the oldest Republican in the Senate. In July 2009, he announced that he would not run for re-election in 2010, citing difficulty in raising campaign funds."

"Gee that's nice because you all have jobs. I know lots of people who are out of work because there are no JOBS available. How about we put forth a really good jobs bill so more jobs are created"

And while we're at it, let's add a "pony bill" that mandates that every citizen gets a free pony! Where do you think jobs come from, the "Job Fairy"? If only creating jobs was as easy as writing a document and throwing tax money in the general direction of the problem.

*Everybody* is in favour of job creation, nobody is trying to prevent job creation, but you can't just will jobs into existence, you first have to understand a little how economies actually work --- read brian's post for starters, I'm too sarcastic.

Sen. Bunning was right to filibuster the bill because it is not deficit neutral and did not conform to the dems own Paygo rule.

Having said that, I agree with previous posters that pointed out Bunning has been "inconsistent" at best when it comes to being a deficit hawk. He should have been able to stand up to the heat, flipped Reid the bird, and not caved to the pressure of his own party because it was making them look bad.

Please consider that Bunning is a lame-duck and as such is able to vote his conscience and not tow the party line to ensure re-election. He is finally being his crotchety, conservative self, politics be damned.

Can we put term limits in place now? I would like to see more of this behavior.

Gee that's nice because you all have jobs. I know lots of people who are out of work because there are no JOBS available. How about we put forth a really good jobs bill so more jobs are created and then also pass some health care regulation like every other country in the world?

In the meantime, stop worrying about the deficit that 10 years of war has created. Lets do what make sense, and actually work as a team here America.

So, what would your jobs bill, health regulations, and peace plan look like?

One of my sons lost his job a few months ago. He was actually looking forward to spending the summer on unemployment. Had enough stashed away to coast for a while, spend some time at the ballpark, and generally take it easy till the right job came along. Unfortunately, the right job showed up almost immediately, so he had to go back to work.

Meanwhile, the government is a car that is running out of gas. Momentum and fumes will move it for a while, but at some point the money and the credit will not be there when it's needed. Bills and entitlements will be deferred, then paid, then deferred some more.

If I were young, I would be operating on the principle that the federal government will be completely bankrupt in a decade or two. I'd be asking myself, how can I build a skill set that will support me when the government safety net isn't there, and the monetary system is a little iffy.

Because it is clear to me that our politicians do not have it in them to tighten their belts and straighten out the government's finances.