That all six of the Republicans selected to the Congressional debt reduction "Super Committee" are signers of Grover Norquist's anti-tax pledge is hardly surprising. But the choice of Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, is an especially fitting one for the GOP. After all, Kyl didn't merely define a generation of Republican talking points when he explained earlier this year that his was "not intended to be a factual statement." As it turns out, from regurgitating bogus claims that "tax cuts pay for themselves" and spur "job creators" to his war on the estate tax, Jon Kyl has long been a leading fabricator of GOP tax cut myths. And when it comes to super lies on taxes, his fellow Republican super committeemen are not far behind.

In June, the second ranking Senate Republican joined House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in walking out of debt reduction talks led by Vice President Biden because of their refusal to accept even a dime of new tax revenue. As Jon Kyl explained last summer (starting around the 1:20 mark above), tax cuts don't increase the national debt:

"You do need to offset the cost of increased spending, and that's what Republicans object to. But you should never have to offset cost of a deliberate decision to reduce tax rates on Americans."

Kyl's was just the latest repackaging of President Bush's long ago debunked claim that "you cut taxes and the tax revenues increase." Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison parroted that line, "Every major tax cut we've had in history has created more revenue." Then House Minority Leader John Boehner agreed, insisting last June that the Bush tax cuts had nothing to do with the depleted U.S. Treasury, "It's not the marginal tax rates ... that's not what led to the budget deficit. The revenue problem we have today is a result of what happened in the economic collapse some 18 months ago." For his part, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell rushed to defend Kyl's fuzzy math:

"There's no evidence whatsoever that the Bush tax cuts actually diminished revenue. They increased revenue because of the vibrancy of these tax cuts in the economy. So I think what Senator Kyl was expressing was the view of virtually every Republican on that subject."

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Credit: CBPP

Bolstered by new polls and fresh off their vote to bar an increase in the nation's $14.3 trillion debt ceiling, House Republicans swaggered into the White House Wednesday for the latest negotiation to end their economic hostage taking. One, Rep. Jeff Landry of Louisiana, refused to attend and be "lectured to by a president whose failed policies have put our children and grandchildren in a huge burden of debt."

Sadly for Rep. Landry, the nation's mounting debt is largely attributable to wars, a recession and tax policies President Obama inherited from his predecessor. Worse still, the Ryan 2012 budget proposal backed by almost every Republican in both houses of Congress would not only drain another $4 trillion in tax revenue from the Treasury, but fail all of the spending and balanced budget targets they themselves propose. Nevertheless, Republicans who voted seven times to double the debt ceiling under George W. Bush would risk the national economic suicide they admit would come to pass if their demands are not met.

Here, then, are 10 Inconvenient Truths About the Debt Ceiling:

1. Republican Leaders Agree U.S. Default Would Be a "Financial Disaster"
2. Ronald Reagan Tripled the National Debt
3. George W. Bush Doubled the National Debt
4. Republicans Voted Seven Times to Raise Debt Ceiling for President Bush
5. Federal Taxes Are Now at a 60 Year Low
6. Bush Tax Cuts Didn't Pay for Themselves or Spur "Job Creators"
7. Ryan Budget Delivers Another Tax Cut Windfall for Wealthy
8. Ryan Budget Will Require Raising Debt Ceiling - Repeatedly
9. Tax Cuts Drive the Next Decade of Debt
10. $3 Trillion Tab for Unfunded Wars Remains Unpaid

(Click a link to jump to the data and details for each.)

1. Republican Leaders Agree U.S. Default Would Be a "Financial Disaster"
Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA), Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and White House hopeful Tim Pawlenty are among the GOP luminaries who have joined the ranks of what Dana Milbank called the "default deniers." But you don't have to take Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's word for it "that if Congress doesn't agree to an increase in the debt limit by August 2, the United States will be forced to default on its debt, potentially spreading panic and collapse across the globe." As it turns out, Republican leaders (and their big business backers) have said the same thing.

In their few moments of candor, Republican leaders expressed agreement with Tim Geithner's assessment that default by the U.S. "would have a catastrophic economic impact that would be felt by every American." The specter of a global financial cataclysm has been described as resulting in "severe harm" (McCain economic adviser Mark Zandi), "financial collapse and calamity throughout the world" (Senator Lindsey Graham) and "you can't not raise the debt ceiling" (House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan). In January, even Speaker John Boehner acknowledged as much:

"That would be a financial disaster, not only for our country but for the worldwide economy. Remember, the American people on election day said, 'we want to cut spending and we want to create jobs.' And you can't create jobs if you default on the federal debt."

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Pat Toomey, one of the first wingnut candidates back in the 2004 election, once held a commanding lead in Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race. It was so strong that it forced "Magic Bullet" Specter to leave the GOP and become a Democrat. Toomey is the ex-henchman for the Club For Growth, a Grover Norquist anti-tax groupie and a James Dobson favorite. Dobson hated the fact that Specter said he wasn't going to hold judicial nominees to a litmus test, so he stepped in to get rid of him. As the election closes in, Joe Sestak has crept up in the polls and now they appear to be almost even.

Toomey's hometown paper came out yesterday and said that he might actually have a little extremism problem after all. Well, there is this: "Pat Toomey says if elected he would end abortion and put doctors in jail".

The Morning Call:

Joe Sestak and fellow Democrats want to make Pat Toomey the fringe candidate by pointing out he voted with Rick Santorum, is being backed by Sarah Palin and once ran Club for Growth, a group that backs two of the nation's more colorful candidates, Rand Paul in Kentucky and Sharron Angle in Nevada.

Suddenly, it seems to be working.

What's unclear is whether it will last and what Toomey, a conservative Republican, can do about it, except highlight Sestak's liberal record and views as a Delaware County congressman.

At their first debate Wednesday night, Sestak showed that his endgame strategy is turning voters off to Toomey by linking him to polarizing figures like Palin or Christine O'Donnell in Delaware. He used their names a number of times in his answers. Toomey, after the debate, called it "silly."

But it's not silly if it's effective.

Larry Ceisler, a Democratic consultant in Philadelphia, suspects Democratic voters may be paying closer attention now. They may be disappointed in President Barack Obama, but they are afraid of the alternative after hearing about controversial Republicans such as O'Donnell, or Paul, or Angle.

"Toomey's challenge is he can get thrown in with the O'Donnells and the Palins or he can find a way to distinguish himself [in voters' minds]," Ceisler said. "If he loses this race, it'll be on the social, cultural issues."

Fresh poll numbers, including the Morning Call/Muhlenberg College Tracker, show the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race to be a virtual tie after months of Toomey enjoying a healthy lead.

Sestak is airing a television commercial that shows footage of Toomey saying he would support legislation to "ban abortion and I would suggest penalties for doctors who perform them." The ad also links him to Santorum, whom state voters turned out of office, and to Palin.

Democrats pounced Tuesday on a Facebook post written by Palin in which she credited candidates who oppose "cap and trade" legislation on industrial emissions. In it, Palin grouped Toomey with more polarizing figures like Paul and Angle. The Democrats branded the post an endorsement.

This race has tightened up because Americans are seeing more and more of the extremist positions many of the Tea Party candidates revel in. The debates in many if the states have generated national interest because so many of the Republicans are simply anti-working class and they can't hide that fact. Let's hope this trend continues.

Here's a few more of Toomey's Extreme Greatest Hits:

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This is a very funny and effective ad, and I predict it will be a big help closing the gap for Sestak before election day:

I'm Joe Sestak and this is Belle. My family loves Belle. But she can make a mess. And we have to clean it up.

I think about Belle when I see Congressman Toomey's ads attacking me.

It made me sick to bail out the banks. But I had to clean up the mess left behind by these guys. [Points to picture of George W. Bush and Pat Toomey.] They let Wall Street run wild. Now Pat Toomey is attacking me for cleaning up his mess.

I authorize this message because we deserve leaders who solve problems instead of playing politics.

Wow. This is such a typical deflection of responsibility from a stalwart of the Party of Personal Responsibility. "Don't blame me for creating the tea party...it was that mean ol' George W. Bush that made me do it!"

Former Rep. Dick Armey (R.,Tex.), whose Freedom Works organization has helped the Tea Party grow, said Tuesday in Philadelphia that the movement was conceived the moment President George W. Bush endorsed Sen. Arlen Specter (then-R, now D) over Pat Toomey in the 2004 Republican primary.

Conservatives have long been angered by that endorsement, viewing it as a triumph of political maneuvering over principle. Specter went on to defeat Toomey by 17,000 votes out of more than 1 million cast. Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R.,Pa.), who also endorsed Specter in 2004, has apologized again and again for the move in early primary states as he explores a run for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination. Of course, Toomey's decision last year to challenge Specter again drove him to the Democrats.

Toomey is now the Republican nominee for Senate, facing Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak Nov. 2. So far Toomey hasn't been taking credit for sparking the Tea Party as he campaigns, though he shares many of the movement's views on government spending, regulation and the need to reduce taxes.

Toomey was also the head of Club for Growth, which is supporting Republican candidates that pass their purity test for wanting to privatize Social Security and no taxes. In fact, they're so extreme that even Mike Huckabee calls them the Club for Greed.

But think about this: Pat Toomey has brought us Sharron Angle, Christine O'Donnell, Allen West, Carl Palladino, Joe Miller, Ken Buck, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul. Can you think of a better reason to vote for Joe Sestak?

Looks like Pat Toomey's taking the Club For Growth's recent "Hell Yeah!" campaign about embracing Social Security privatization to heart!

Harrisburg, PA - Today, Pat Toomey again reiterated his support for Social Security privatization in an interview with Ted Koppel in Hershey.

"Pat Toomey continues to actively campaign on his plan to put seniors' retirement savings in the hands of Wall Street bankers," said Mark Nicastre a spokesman with the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. "As a member of Congress, Toomey fought to privatize Social Security and as the President of the Wall Street-backed Club for Growth, Toomey was President George W. Bush's loudest cheerleader as Bush tried to privatize Social Security. The Toomey-Bush plan will allow reckless Wall Street bankers to gamble with Social Security while making billions in profits. Toomey's plan is wrong for Pennsylvania's seniors."

According to WGAL, Toomey said he believes in overhauling the Social Security by letting younger workers put their Social Security savings in the market. [WGAL, 9/27/10]

Great ad. I was wondering when the Dems were going to go on the offensive with this Club For Growth wingnut weasel, because Sestak will need all the help he can get against this bozo:

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee launched its first television advertisement of the general election today, introducing former Wall Street derivatives trader and Republican Senate candidate Pat Toomey to Pennsylvania voters.

Millionaire Pat Toomey did “pioneering work” with derivatives as a freewheeling Wall Street trader in the 1980s, even praising derivatives as an “enormous good.” After leaving Wall Street, Toomey moved to Washington, where as a Congressman he wrote legislation to weaken oversight of Wall Street, which contributed to the meltdown of our economy. Now, as a Senate candidate, Toomey advocates for the same freewheeling, reckless policies that led to economic collapse, all while taking in more than $1.6 million in campaign contributions from Wall Street and other financial special interests.

“Democrats are not going to let former Wall Street derivatives trader Pat Toomey get away with failing to mention his decades of service to Wall Street,” said DSCC National Press Secretary Deirdre Murphy. “Pennsylvania voters should know that Toomey has fought for Wall Street his entire life, first as a freewheeling derivatives trader, then as a Congressman writing legislation to weaken oversight of Wall Street, and finally as president of the Wall Street-backed Club for Growth. As a Senate candidate, Toomey might be right for Wall Street but he’s flat out wrong for Pennsylvania families.”

One of the reasons I don't have any respect for Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe is that, while they maintain their thin candy shells of "moderation," they are more than willing to give protective cover to the far-right fringe of their party. Case in point: Collins was here in Philly this week, raising money for Pat Toomey, the loony-tunes Club for Growth extremist and former Wall Street broker who's running against Joe Sestak.

Why? Probably because the RSCC figured out a real winger (Sam Brownback etc.) wouldn't get much love in a relatively liberal urban area like Philadelphia. Susan was happy to come in and do her part in making her party even more extreme:

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a prominent moderate Republican, raised campaign cash Monday for Pennsylvania GOP Senate nominee Pat Toomey, a conservative who as recently as last year was trying to defeat people such as Collins.

The endorsement could provide ammunition for Toomey against his Democratic opponent, Rep. Joe Sestak, as they battle to seize the middle ground and define each other as an extremist.

After a fund-raising lunch at the Union League, Collins and Toomey said they were united around the core Republican principles of lower taxes, limited government, and individual freedom.

Never mind that the Club for Growth, a free-market advocacy group that Toomey ran until he declared his Senate candidacy last year, had skewered Collins as "Comrade of the Month" for her vote for President Obama's stimulus legislation.

"This is a pivotal race," Collins said. "It is one of those key Senate races that is going to determine whether the Republicans are able to regain control of the Senate or at least increase our numbers so we can be an effective check on the excesses of this administration."

Toomey, who has made a concerted effort to reach out to moderate Republicans ahead of the general election, said that he believes in the same kind of "big tent" party that Collins does.

"As Republicans, there's lots of individual items we're going to disagree about, but there's a broad theme on which we agree," Toomey said.

Sestak's campaign said voters should not be fooled - Toomey is to the right of the Pennsylvania mainstream. It launched "Republicans for Sestak" at an event outside the Constitution Center, where four GOP voters from his Delaware County district praised him.

Toomey is an "ideologue," while Sestak is a "pragmatic, problem-solving" centrist, said Scott Jenkins, an investor and cochairman of the Republicans for Sestak steering committee. He supported Sestak in his first run for Congress, in 2006.

Toomey's campaign released the names of 40 Democrats from across the state who are supporting the former Lehigh Valley congressman, boasting that its cross-partisan group was 10 times bigger than Sestak's. Jonathon Dworkin, spokesman for Sestak, said 40 to 50 people were on the steering committee of Republicans for Sestak.

Tickets to the Collins-Toomey lunch cost $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for representatives of PACs, according to an invitation to the event. The Toomey campaign declined to say how much was raised

.

Pat Toomey is Club for Growth's conservative candidate running for Arlen Specter's Senate seat in PA along with Joe Sestak.

On Morning Joe, the topic was the economic problems we are facing and luckily a new USA/Gallop poll says that 42% of America believes George Bush is responsible for this mess whil eonly 24% put it on Obama. The numbers still aren't great for Obama, but that's no shock.

Toomey said that when the financial crisis hit us during the end of Bush's term, it should have been left alone to cleanse society. Oviously no stimulus either. Sure, he said, it would have been much worse all around---the stock market tanking more than it had, but out of the ashes of a destroyed global economy, in his mind the tremendous amount of suffering that would have been caused and all the millions of people that would have been devastated really mean nothing to him. That's the breaks. It's free markets baby.

I'm paraphrasing his remarks that came at the end of the video, but he states the conservative position quite clearly and I believe Barnicle was surprised he explained what he really believes in. This idiot thinks that if all the car companies, all the banks and financial institutions had gone under we would have recovered already.

"I think we would have had a harder down. I think we would have taken a hard down."

See, only the rich would have survived.

Many progressive economists believe that President Obama's stimulus package wasn't big enough and the do-nothing conservative attitude would have led to utter devastation because we have a financial system that is also run on confidence, as strange as that might be. Americans would have been pulling all their money out of their banks and the system would have seized up because the banks didn't have enough cash on hand and then -- kaboom!

If Toomey had been in charge of our country instead of FDR, America might have been overrun by militia type groups like we're seeing crop up today because the country was in such disarray and poverty ravaged our citizens, and anger was the result. We might have never recovered, but if we did under his terms, the type of recovery would have left the country with probably only two distinct classes, and America would have descended from an Oligarchy into a feudal Monarchy: the very rich and the very poor. Kings and Queens, with the rest of left as paupers.

Isn't that a lovely scenario?