The Republicans really do have alternatives. Really.

[Tsukasa Buddha]

So, in an effort to avoid being "the party of no" the House Republicans held a press conference to release their budget, in response to Obama saying he would like to see their proposals.

(pdf warning)
http://www.gop.gov/solutions/budget/road-to-recovery-final

... It is 18 pages, and most of it is describing what the Democrats are going to do. They must have had really thick paper, because it looked a lot bigger in the press conference. The only numbers in it are these:

Republicans propose a simple and fair tax code with a marginal tax rate for income up to $100,000 of 10% and 25% for any income thereafter, with a generous standard deduction and personal exemption.

That is seriously it.

I loved the press conference.

Pressed for specific budget numbers, Boehner said Rep. Paul Ryan, the top Republican on the budget committee, wouldn’t be releasing that information until next week. Ryan announced at the press conference that Republicans would show a "leaner budget, a budget with lower taxes, lower spending, and lower borrowing." But he left before reporters could ask him how his plan would meet those goals.
Boehner was left to field questions. He said Republicans would do a better job than the President cutting the deficit. When asked what the goal was, he answered curtly, “to do better.” Pressed again on how, Boehner said "you'll see next week." The reporter tried again, asking how the GOP plan would do better than President Obama's goal of cutting the deficit in half, and Boehner repeated, "Oh, it'll be better."

Linky.

I am not making this up.

I mean really, it isn't a budget, and the only numbers it crunches are the ones the Democrats have. I would think it would be hard to propose solutions when you don't even know what they are yet.

And in local politics, in Illinois the Democratic Governor who took over after Blagojevich will greatly raise the income tax. What is the Republican response?

State Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine, opposes an income tax increase. He said the state should cut spending on items such as Medicaid and education, if necessary, to get through the tough times. Murphy also says policymakers should revive controversial discussions of a Chicago casino to raise money for a capital program.

Linky.

 

[hgc]

GOP economic program: replace doctorin' and schoolin' with gamblin'

 

[Toke]

Perhaps they are too busy infighting to do anything constructive.

 

[Alex Libman]

The republican party is dead. Ron Paul was its last chance. Serious anti-socialists will now vote with their feet. (Or their guns.)

 

[leftysergeant]

Maybe they are just too stupid to realize that we have been there, done that, and it sucked.

 

[leftysergeant]

The republican party is dead. Ron Paul was its last chance. Serious anti-socialists will now vote with their feet. (Or their guns.)

And socialists don't have guns?

BWAHHAHAHA!

I suggest that the rightwingers and anarchists not get froggy.

 

[Random]

The Republican party has spent the last few decades becoming a very powerful political party based entirely on bashing Democrats and progressives. Unfortunately, the Bush years have shown that you can't actually run a country that way.

 

[Policenaut]

They need to come up with something better than that. No one should want the country run by one political party but without any substantive plans from the repubs that's how it's gonna be for the foreseeable future. Ron Paul has a few good ideas but it's all wrapped tightly in a layer of crazy.

 

[Brainster]

It is not a budget, it's a roadmap. That said, it's pretty pathetic that the best the GOP can manage is another round of tax cuts. The spending in Obama's budget is the problem, not taxes.

 

[Ysidro]

It is not a budget, it's a roadmap. That said, it's pretty pathetic that the best the GOP can manage is another round of tax cuts. The spending in Obama's budget is the problem, not taxes.

That isn't even a roadmap. That's a "anything you can do, I can do better" boast.

Where's a Missourian when you need one?

 

[Upchurch]

Where's a Missourian when you need one?

Here I am.

"Show me."

My job here is done. *flys out the window*

 

[mhaze]

So, in an effort to avoid being "the party of no" the House Republicans held a press conference to release their budget, in response to Obama saying he would like to see their proposals.

(pdf warning)
http://www.gop.gov/solutions/budget/road-to-recovery-final

... It is 18 pages, and most of it is describing what the Democrats are going to do. They must have had really thick paper, because it looked a lot bigger in the press conference. The only numbers in it are these:

That is seriously it

So you find this amusing, eh?

Instead of taxing all energy users with a new national energy tax that will cost up to $3,128 per household, Republicans want energy independence with increased development of all our natural resources, including renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar.
​

And this?

Ends the Bailouts and Reforms the Financial System
Instead of nationalizing our financial system and heaping trillions of dollars of debt on future generations, Republicans want to protect taxpayers and provide a transparent recovery process that does not favor thse that have made unsound business decisions.
​

Why?

 

[DC]

So you find this amusing, eh?

Instead of taxing all energy users with a new national energy tax that will cost up to $3,128 per household, Republicans want energy independence with increased development of all our natural resources, including renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar.
​

And this?

Ends the Bailouts and Reforms the Financial System
Instead of nationalizing our financial system and heaping trillions of dollars of debt on future generations, Republicans want to protect taxpayers and provide a transparent recovery process that does not favor thse that have made unsound business decisions.
​

Why?

an energy tax for everyone is good, because everyone needs to use less energy.

the idea of not making such huge debts for our future generations is a brilliant idea. but how do they do it?
transparency is also a great thing, but transparancy of what plan?
they didnt present ideas of how they would solve the problem.

 

[mhaze]

an energy tax for everyone is good, because everyone needs to use less energy.

the idea of not making such huge debts for our future generations is a brilliant idea. but how do they do it?
transparency is also a great thing, but transparancy of what plan?
they didnt present ideas of how they would solve the problem.

If the point of the OP is to ladle derision on a plan for which it is stated "you'll get the details next week" then the point evaporates it's likely marginal impact by...next week.

Many - many - disagree with your rather elitist "energy tax is good" including lower income blue collar who have traditionally voted Dem.

 

[Tsukasa Buddha]

So you find this amusing, eh?

Instead of taxing all energy users with a new national energy tax that will cost up to $3,128 per household, Republicans want energy independence with increased development of all our natural resources, including renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar.
​

And this?

Ends the Bailouts and Reforms the Financial System
Instead of nationalizing our financial system and heaping trillions of dollars of debt on future generations, Republicans want to protect taxpayers and provide a transparent recovery process that does not favor thse that have made unsound business decisions.
​

Why?

Because they aren't a budget... They aren't even policy plans. They are pretty end goals.

 

[Tsukasa Buddha]

If the point of the OP is to ladle derision on a plan for which it is stated "you'll get the details next week" then the point evaporates it's likely marginal impact by...next week.

Many - many - disagree with your rather elitist "energy tax is good" including lower income blue collar who have traditionally voted Dem.

Ah, yes, how elitist to use economic disincentives to encourage private, free market development of carbon reducing practices. Doesn't matter how effective it would be, it is just so elitist it doesn't matter.

 

[Toke]

Ends the Bailouts and Reforms the Financial System
Instead of nationalizing our financial system and heaping trillions of dollars of debt on future generations, Republicans want to protect taxpayers and provide a transparent recovery process that does not favor those that have made unsound business decisions.

Politicians excell in saying pretty words everyone can agree on.

Have they come up with any ideas of how to achive this?

 

[Chaos]

Politicians excell in saying pretty words everyone can agree on.

Have they come up with any ideas of how to achive this?

Cut taxes for the rich and raise military expenditures.

 

[DC]

spending more on the army seems no problems for most americans, but tax on Energy.... or Universal healthcare.... thats crazy and not needed.....

 

[Denver]

They need to come up with something better than that. No one should want the country run by one political party but without any substantive plans from the repubs that's how it's gonna be for the foreseeable future. Ron Paul has a few good ideas but it's all wrapped tightly in a layer of crazy.

Did you ever see the Star Trek episode with that lack blob that kills Natasha Yar? They described it as the evil, loathsome part of some race that had distilled it from themselves and then cast it off and fled from it.

I think that is what is happening in the republican party, either by design or just a meme survival mechanism. This 'skin' of the party is formed by such luminaries as Russ Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and their fans. More and more individuals will clearly polarize themselves to follow this side. The people left, the more level-headed non-extremists, will form the core of the new party, which I think will then again become relevant and successful at challenging the democratic party. Until then, the government will continue to remain in the hands of the democrats.