Republicans are aware of the SS and Medicare taxes, but since they are entitlements, theoretically insurance, these payments are not considered part of government operations. Granted the politicians have raided the cookie jar and used the 'trust funds" to buy votes, thus confusing the issue slightly. Your point is accurate only so far as the "poor" that work or that work "on the books". Warren Buffet's statements are another thing. His income comes mostly from dividends, income that has already been taxed at the corporate level. Good Democrat that he is, his company Berkeshire Hathaway has not paid their taxes since 2002. Glad you idolize him so much as a "truth teller".

Issa is a pit bull, but I have yet to see anything substantial being done. It appears he does not have the power to get the un-redacted information he needs in a timely manner and his witnesses are able to sidestep the important questions by having a convenient lapse of memory. Without an honest and law respecting person in the White House, who would insist on transparency, these investigations will go nowhere. About the only thing he may accomplish is to make Obama's people more careful in their disregard of the laws of the land.

If the Obama administration does anything that even looks like cost cutting, you know they are attempting to cover up something and protect their people. I have no problem with consolidation, but to punish the lower level agents, who fought against this program, rather than routing out the administration officials that promoted it, is a travesty, and a cover up at the highest levels. My next question is, what is the purpose of the ATF? Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are all legal. Maybe these agents should be transferred to border security.

Since it is difficult to tell whether charter schools drain off the wheat and leave the chaff for the public schools, and whether or not parental influence is more pronounced with a charter school child, the New Orleans experiment could be a blessing in disguise.

You included Social Security in your comment about the deficit. As originally set up, it was to be a pension plan for all citizens. As it was used by the politicians, it was their own little Ponzi scheme and slush fund. Don't blame us senior citizens for the SS problems, it is oura and our previous employers' money. Too bad the fund was never invested in the private sector. Just think of how well our economy would be doing with those extra billions being used to create jobs and wealth.

Bet you enjoy coming to these sites and spouting your half truths and continue the Bush bashing while ignoring the current monumental problem, Budget No Vote 72-0 Obama.

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Congress has already ceded so much power to the Executive branch, that we may have to bring into question as to why we need the House and Senate. I say this with "tongue in cheek", but I wonder why Congress puts up with it. Of course it is Congress's fault that there is such a backlog, but it is also the fast growing Executive office that is exacerbating the problem. Trash this bill and shrink the Executive staff, then maybe the Senate can catch up with their work

The poll showed differences between Republicans and Democrats. Why not differences between wage earners and those that live off the government. The 36% are most likely those that depend on the government for their subsistence with maybe a few bleeding liberal elites thrown in.

I too am a South Carolinian and hope Lindsey Graham gets the message.