otis p. driftwood

Git 'em, RW, git 'em.

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shmessy

Stop burnishing his military record. He never served a day in the Navy.

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"They (Patriots) may be the greatest team ever" - Chris Mortenson, January 18, 2005 on espn.com

Real World

When taxes are lowered, government "revenues" (my favorite phrase) increase. History will bare that out. The problem isn't taxation. The problem is spending. When you fight two wars and simutaniously try to satisfy a growing welfare state, you're going to be in the red. The fact is we've been in the red for close to 60 years. It's amazing how few people care until it's someone they don't like who's in office.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

shmessy

This goes right back to GW's idiocy over "cutting taxes", "giving $600 tax rebates", "cutting the value of the dollar so what we pay back doesn't hurt as much", the IDIOTIC "2003 Farm Subsidy Program" ,etc.

Ridiculous.

Give a man a fish - he eats for a day. Teach him to fish - he eats for a lifetime.

Instead of handing out $$ (tax cuts, rebates, etc.) if he had merely been a careful steward of our country and INVESTED in our transportation infrastructure, alternative energy, science (although he doesn't believe in science), etc. instead of throwing the $$ around in tax cuts, $600 rebates and $3 trillion to the Iraqi mess, we'd be better off.

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"They (Patriots) may be the greatest team ever" - Chris Mortenson, January 18, 2005 on espn.com

Real World

It was Trillions of dollars of debt before GW took office. Trillions before Slick Willy. The red goes back to a couple of decades before I was born. I'm really not getting people these days. Everyone seems to think that long term problems are instantanious. That what's been a problem for a long, long time, simply happened overnight. I'm being somewhat serious when I say we should declare bankruptcy and start over. How do you pay down a couple of trillion in debt? That's what I wondered 10 years ago. Now it's nine trillion. Where was the outrage 10 years ago? 20? Are you from Boston? Ever heard of the MBTA? Read up on how it's run, and what kind of debt it owns. At last count it was $8 Billion and rising fast. The MBTA is typical government.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Real World

Um, no it wasn't. They "projected" it to go in the right direction, but there was a slight miscalculation made at the time. It's called a recession.

I give the legislature and Clinton high marks for the economic conditions we experienced in the 90's. The problem is that it's easy to balance a budget when you take in more than you could possibly spend. I've tried to explain this to people a couple of times. The size and scope of government still increased. The last time there was an actual cut in the cost of government was the 1950's. Not surprisingly, that was the last time we were in the black overall. As government increases, so does debt. That you took in more "revenue" only masks the underlying problem that is innefficient, unneeded, oversized government.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Real World

What military record?

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Real World

The "stimulus" package isn't the sole responsibility of GW. That's a joint venture on the part of the legislature and executive. Let's not forget that the legislature tacked on another $30 Billion for good measure.

It's too bad more people don't equate fishing with welfare programs.

I'd much prefer money be given to the people, than to some government agency that will return 40 cents on the dollar. Infrastructure investments should be part of the annual budget. You don't stimulate the economy by proposing long term programs, or by allocating money for long term projects. A stimulus is designed for immidiate impact. The investments you mention are all worthy, they're just not inline with what the package is designed to do.

$3 trillion for the war is a stretch since most of the money is part of the annual cost of millitary & defense allocated dollars. It's obviously a lot of money, and money one can legitimately question if it were necessary to spend. Wars are never what you think they'll be. That is what I told my brother in 2002/2003.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Fogbuster

Banks WANT us to be in debt. It's how they make their money. They do not make money from risky things, like investments. They make the "sure" thing from giving out credit, then getting paid back with interest. Look at your credit cards: nowadays they will give credit cards to kids in baby carriages, virtually. As long as they can get the parents or a legal guardian on the hook, the banks would give credit to Snoop Doggie Dog at a drug and weapons fair.

This is why America is swimming in debt. It just keeps growing.

And, in a way, you're right: we do need to re-set back to Zero, get rid of all past debts, start paying as we go more, and stop leaving all our unpaid debts to others when we die.
I don't think declaring bankruptcy is the way to go, however; such would be utter and total chaos. America would explode, economically; inflation would go through the stratosphere, as people sought to *really* spend like drunken sailors just before the slate got wiped clean.

Better to invoke a gradual reigning in of credit, making people more liable for their debts by forcing them to save up and prepare a down-payment before they ask for loans, mortgages, etc. We need to get back to long-term viewing, planning, and preparing, instead of this mirage of "instant gratification". The piper WILL be paid, one way or the other. China and other nations are avoiding this problem by collecting and keeping money, so they have little or no debt.

My wife is traditional Japanese: for her, debt, using credit, is almost unthinkable; having something in the bank is ALWAYS the number one priority.


//

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"All that is required for evil to triumph is for good to do nothing."

Wildo7

Has there ever been a Republican that has actually downsized the government? No. Why? because as usual, they are full of shyt when it comes to the issues they campaign on. How about you downsize the war on drugs, deficit spending, the FCC, faith-based initiatives etc.? Oh that's right "smaller government" only applies to social programs which help people other than your own special interests.