'Gang of Six' in Senate Working Behind Scenes on Debt Reduction Plan

Manufacturing and export gains for 18 months, retail sale gains for 7th month, new construction up 15%, export gains in double digits, unemployment from 10 to 9 with projections for 2011 being well below 9. President Obama has worked with our manufacturing sector since day one and we are seeing those results. Better trade deals negotiated and existing trade laws enforced. Incentives for business to keep jobs here. His policies and legislation are working. So be it or should I say you betcha. The GOP was warned by economists not to cut too much too fast for 2011-21012 or it will send us into double dip recession, but I guess they'd rather get elected instead of doing what's economically sound.

GOP Agenda: #1. Cut too much too soon and it will create a double dip recession and they will win the 2012 election (economists warned NOT to do this for 2011-12) #2. Destroy collective bargaining (happening in Wisconsin and Ohio) and they will be able to win every election from here to eternity. #3. Return to office in 2012 –dismantle social security and medicare. Divide and conquer has been used throughout history and now they have unlimited funding from corporate america. Don’t let this happen to our nation. And make no mistake - they are coming after you.

Harry Reid just described a cut of $70 billion as "Draconian". 70 b is not even 2% of the grossly bloated Obama budget request. Washington Democrats refuse to accept the unequivocal message sent in November. What does it take, a Tahrir square to get through to politicians spending our grandchildrens' money?

Looks like we're going to lose some good things we should keep. Our senators and congressmen have and are spending so wildly on things we really didn't and don't need to spend on. It's a shame and unbelievable what our elected leaders have done to us. It's going to cost us dearly.

Hey Listen,
just the fact that this "gang of 6" is willing to even TALK about SS, medicare
and Medicaid is progress. NO ONE would of even of dared to do this in the past.
What is that saying " How the gallows doth focus the mind". If someone doesn't do something and soon , the country may in fact not recover for decades if at all.

Any talk of the house and senate and other members of congress taking concessions? Like maybe living on social security like the normal laymen, or not getting their full pay after they retire. I see how they are going to take everything from us but what are their concessions? Maybe they could take a 20 to 30 percent cut in pay, we are taking over a 50% cut in wages, no retirement, taxing of our 401k and god knows what else.

vminch0074:30 PM Feb 18, 2011 You seem to have forgotten that the dems have been in control of the purse strings for 4 yrs.

..................................................................................You seem to have forgotten that this mess was created longer than four years ago. As I recall Bush 2 had a republican controlled congress the first 6 years of his 8 mirery filled years in office. It's amazing how you conservatives always get selective memory when it comes to that

THESE SAME PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALL BEEN UP THERE FOREVER, SEEMS LIKE, ARE NOW TRYING TO MAKE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE REALLY GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE RUNAWAY BUDGET. GIVE US A BREAK AND JUST GO AWAY AND DON'T COME BACK.

"the American people have to know that we are willing to sacrifice our political careers in order to do the best thing for the country.'........I thought the American people already decided that NOT making a career of politics was the best thing for the country.

Refresh my memory - Didn't we have a bi-partisan commission of respected people from both parties? I guess it didn't say what the administration wanted. :P