The IRS scandal is now being blamed on two 'rogue' employees. More heads likely to roll.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/15/politics/irs-conservative-targeting/index.html

I think its a bit of both.



Completely agree with your reasoning.

These recent headlines with the AP story (which I find the most disturbing) and the IRS scandal are really serious and should be investigated to the fullest extent and those responsible should be punished properly, etc.

After analyzing in detail all the Benghazi emails (yes I read everything, I am a political junkie) and all the other reports on the situation that occurred over there. It is a tragedy that American lives were lost in the attack. New sources(old report for those who followed this closely actually) are saying the Ambassador turned down direct offers of more security from the Army twice. The Ambassador's own staff requested more security from DC, the chief of the Army's Africa command offered assistance which the Ambassador rejected. The Ambassador then met with that same Chief a few weeks later for a previously scheduled meeting, and again turned down the offer for more security.

This thing has been blown way out of proportion by people looking to damage Obama and by extension Hillary for political gain, period. This is a "scandal" over 12 edits to a freaking memo/talking point. That's what it has come down to. Republicans are so desperate for a scandal they’re implying that either Barack Obama himself, president of the United States, decided not to protect that embassy…or that they created this entire coverup to stop people from knowing that they haven’t gotten rid of every single member of Al-Qaeda.

People are concerned with one thing and one thing only - money. The truth is, everyone's 401K has recovered and gained tremendously in the past few years. Home sales are on the uptick. Those two things equate to the largest assets that people have. When they gain in value, so goes consumer confidence. Add into that the news that employment numbers are expected to recover and that the deficit is going to be much lower than anticipated, both of which were reported this week, and people start to become fat and happy.

Fat and happy then equates to "Don't Rock The Boat". That's exactly what led to Clinton's less-than-aggressive reaction to the Cole bombing and the attack on the embassy.

Only 2 could not do that. Fall guys.

Last time I noticed the people I mentioned did not have 401k s their own home and are just ( if they are lucky) making ends meet. Many that are lucky to be working are living paycheck to paycheck or others are more likely Govt check to Govt check or even going deeper and deeper in debt.

"news that employment numbers are expected to recover and that the deficit is going to be much lower than anticipated, both of which were reported this week,"

Every report I have read (from the business view, not the govt.) have been talking about job cuts and or amount of hours being cut to get under the Obama Health Care limits and the deficit no matter what they tell people is way to high and still not been settled, just put off on the limit.

so it sounds like a lot of talk... telling people that things are getting better by the govt. Keep telling them and people will think it is true.

Things are so good, the old retired people are asking why they can't get any intrest on their money in the banking system. And the young and poor are saying what stocks? who has stocks.

No wonder, the Govt is to busy screwing around- IRS, AP ect.

The problem is de-regulation of the banking system. Always was, and still is. The banks got bailed out to lend money to people but they have failed to do so. I am sure this great republican house of representatives would jump at the chance at going after the banks, or making a budget deal, or doing immigration reform or anything else that is meaningful to the country. Nah, they are more intereted in relealing health care for the 37th time and having meaningless and endless hearings to smearing president Blackula.

Law School Loans can't be vicious to pay back especially when your out of work and messing around on the computer all day.
Blackula and your homophobic no wonder you don't have any business

FS, Who doesn't have a 401K? My daughter works a part-time retail job while attending college and her company offers a 401K. Her boyfriend is a server in a mall restaurant working his way through college, and he's got a 401K through work as well.

As for the "reports", they were on CBS880, an all-news radio station out of NYC. I consider them fairly reliable, but to each his own. Personally, I'm optimistic. I prefer to live life that way.

It's estimated that 30% of Americans don't have one.

30% is a significant number, but certainly the majority. Also, do they not have one because they're not offered one, or because they don't take advantage of it?

I have also heard (many times) that many people have less then $50 thousand in funds put away for retirement.

I am surprised its that "high." $50 K will keep someone retired for about ten minutes.

This is why things are in such poor shape in this country.
All the elected people just can't see what is really going on outside Washington.

They get themselves set for life by just being in one term with full pensions, special medical and other perks.

So many of these people who voted for him, were looking for Obama's CHANGE and they will not see anything that will make things better for them.
Maybe it was the color of his skin, maybe it was that he was the younger of the two running, maybe it was those promise made.
All I know that if you take away all that crap that they are feeding the public, that things are not better then they were say 10-15 years ago.

Even tho, I don't have to worry about myself or my family future....I still want to make a point to point this out to the many Obama blind around here.

This system is so screwded up that maybe we should just trash the whole party system and start over with people that are here to serve the people of this country. AMERICA

Lets watch and see how many scape goats fall this next few weeks.

and they are living longer then ever. You wil have a tuff time living off SS checks thast is for sure. Think about all those people with low paying jobs. How big are their checks going to be if there is still money to fund the system?

Well FS you paint a pretty dark picture, and there is merit to some of what you say. Regarding Obama, I am wondering whether it is too late for any president to make fundamental changes to the system.
Take the health care law. Obama wanted a single payer system, like medicare. Forgetting the pluses and minuses of such a plan, he never stuck to it because there was no way the drug companies and insurance companies (read their lobbyists to both sides of the aisle in Congress) made it clear that they would not stand for that. The Dems went to Obama and told him to ditch that idea for what is really identical to Romneycare, and he backed off and now we have what we have. Had he stood his ground we'd have nothing.
What is really going on, I am afraid, is that the entrenched congress and bureaucracy does not want ANY CHANGE in the current system, which I think we all agree does not work. Whether you are politically on the left or the right, for instance there is no disagreement that the tax system is broken. While someone who leans right, as you do, there is the argument for flat tazes, VAT taxes and lower top rates, while someone who leans left as I do would call for a more equitable progressive system. No one makeing less than 30K with a family should pay anything. It is nonsense to consider someone making $250,00 a year "rich" but I would argue that anything over 3 million a year should be subject to an enormous tax. I would also advocate closing the loopholes that allow coroprations to stash money offshore, as well as the loopholes that both Obama and Romney use to pay lower taxes on income derived from something other than employment.

My point here is not to say one argument is better or worse than the other. My point is NEITHER of these would ever get the time of day. Something that simple would have all the special interests running around with their hair on fire, so instead of a real debate, we devolve into petty arguments about people's personalities or whatever, and the big picture goes unchanged.

I don't agree with anyone getting a free ride...It just breeds more do nothing. I am for helping those who really can't work or need help, but the doors have been thrown wide open for anyone to claim they are unable to work and get a check.

There is nothing wrong with being without if you can't afford it. Everyone doesn't have to have everything like cell phones. cable tv and popping kids out to get a bigger check is not right also.

You don't stay in school, make bad choices and can't keep a job then pay the price. Eat PB and J or a chesee sandwich don't tell us we have to give you a steak or a food card for you to abuse by selling it to someone for beer, butts or drugs.

The reason things are broke is because we give to much to to many! period. The balance of goood working people been overtaken by the free loaders of the world. We give so much money to other countries that it makes your head spin.

Can it be fixed..maybe not...Certianly not when almost everything in this counrty is getting some kind of help, benifit or money help from the govt.

And the cry out there is don't cut my stuff. Bleeding hearts everywhere and people play right into it.

Answwer me this..what did people do before Govt was so large?
They either did it for themselves or they didn't have/get things.

The old saying- LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS..and that means the Govt TOO!

DT I do paint a dark picture, maybe because it is a lot darker out there then many will admit. Then again maybe I am just sick of seeing the way things are and how little so many do to help.

We need to go after all fakes, cheaters and just learn to say NO and do the right thing. GIVE people a chance to EARN a way of life not let them make a living off the system.

FS this applies to individuals AND to corporations. One of the biggest scandals and scams going is the amount of money the corn growers get.

I am not sure that we give all that much to foreign countries anymore, but your point is taken.

Bottom line: you can only go on printing money for so ling before someone calls you out on it. We are not there yet, but we are moving in that direction. Regrettably the establishment of BOTH major parties are in on this.

Republicans Altered Benghazi Emails, CBS News Report Claims:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/16/republicans-benghazi-emails_n_3289428.html

This should be called: "The story of how Republicans dishonestly exploited a national security tragedy to score political points".

Now it's getting interesting. What kind of system would that be?

If we did away with political parties today, they'd be back tomorrow. Gaining political power, enacting legislation, etc. involves building coalitions, and that would lead to alliances and that brings parties.

Interesting that Obama's approval rating has gone form -3 in March (47/50), to +8 (53/45) on May 19th. I guess the economy is more important to the average American than these "scandals".

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2013/images/05/19/rel6a.pdf

IMHO the military scandal is the true scandal that (so far President Obama isn't blamed for), isn't getting the attention it should. I find that very very serious.


TIS

TIS what military scandal? Do you mean the sexual abuse cover up?

Yes, That's what I mean. It's so horrible and seems to be least discussed media wise.




TIS

Agreed it is horrible.

IMHO, Obama has bent over backwards to curry favor with the military and the CIA from the beginning. I think it is cause they were suspicious of him, and he wanted to show his toughness. Winning the Nobel Peace prize really did no good for him politically, and since then he caved to Petreaus on the surge in Afghanistan, and has gone overboard on the idea of secrecy for "national security." I think this is why we see the stuff going on at Justice with the Associated Press (don't get me started on Holder) and also his failure to call for heads to roll in the military on this rape issue. As it is the wingnut crazies still see him as being too soft (e.g. Benghazi), when in fact he has not retreated as much from many of the Bush policies as his supporters had hoped.

He is in his second term, and if he wants to make a mark for himself he is going to need to "man up" and take some bold steps, and let the chips fall where they may. If he wants to go down in the same league as LBJ or Reagan this is necessary. If not he will
go down more like the first Bush to his supporters -- a decent honest guy, but not a great president, or as a Jimmy Carter to his dtetractors -- an ineffective wimp. I would hastily add there has never been a bigger asshole in the WH than Carter, with the obvious exception of Nixon, who is in a league of his own.

Exactly. I am disappointed with the way he has handled these scandals; he seems no different then any of his predecessors. Had these scandals emerged prior to the election, I might not have voted for him.

TIS, the sexual harrassment allegations are a function of statutory law. However, those regarding the IRS and the AP are a function of constitutional law which is quite a bit different and more serious. For one, they are not alledged; they did occur.

What are all these free loaders gonna do when more and more people lose their jobs and less & less tax money comes in for them and their freeloading?

There is a good book out there called "The President's Club," which posits that no president ever cedes the power of predecessor presidents once he takes office. It partially explains why Obama who railed against the seizure of extraordinary power by Bush and Cheney has maintained most of it.

What is unfortunate about this syndrome is that depending on whose ox is being gored it is either seen as a "strong" presidency, or a president who is "abusing his power."

Obama could go a long way to curb future excessses by closing Guantanamo, issuing Orders and promulgating draconian military regs about sexual misconduct, and putting into place a real policy on drones and subpoenas (i.e. a shield law) before he leaves office.

Eric Holder is a fucking bum. Obama would gain instant if fleeting respect from his critics if he would just shitcan his sorry ass.

See, Oli? No big words. That's the Bronx right there, straight from the heart. What else you gotta know?