Tax Increases Are Not a Debt Solution

[Centexfarmer]

<snip>

It's nice to say "we have a spending problem and not a debt problem." It's a nice catch phrase but it is also not totally true. Why not reset all spending to the Clinton era along with tax rates? It produced a SURPLUS budget. Now if you want to continue the wars and add any new ones -- you pay for them with INCREASED taxes. It's what was NOT done. Instead we CUT taxes and took the wars off-budget (meaning you could spend whatever one wanted without Congressional approval and without anyone knowing the amount). It also made going to war easy because no one sacrificed (except our volunteers and their families in the military but then, that was just their job -- and my son is one of them).

It's time to cut the bullshit along with smoke and mirror games in Washington. As one who used to vote mostly Republican, this next election I am contemplating pulling the nuclear lever and going all Democrat. What is occuring now shows me that the other party would sacrifice -- me and anyone else who is not a millionaire -- for an ideological concept that has proven to be a failure over and over again.

What I highlighted from your post is exactly what my family, both Republicans and Democrats discuss during our "quarterly" get-to-gathers. As the "Gay Democrat" in a marginally and extended Republican family, we all end up asking ourselves the same questions.

Once we cut out all of the partisan bullshit, and recognize that as a family, and as Americans both parties have let us down we end up with questions. Many of the same questions that you brought up, and why I quoted your post.

If rolling back the Bush Era "tax cuts" to the Clinton Era is going to kill jobs, then were are all the jobs that were created under Bush?

If America doesn't get its financial house in order, by taking some action and both parties making some real sacrifices that I believe many Americans are willing to make so long as they feel that they're fair and equitable, then where are the jobs going to be? Where will America's Middle Class be?

Many Americans, especially after 2007 recognize that they can no longer borrow and spend, without the income necessary to pay their debts.

This concept seems to be completely lost on both Houses of Congress.

The are "kitchen table issues" as Biden put it during his run in the Democratic POTUS primary in 2008.

Republican POTUS candidate John McCain discussed the idea of conducting a "financial audit" of the Federal Government, to cut spending as late as 2007.

I'm a point now where there's not one single-mother-f*&ker in Washington that truly knows and understands what's going on out here in America. Not one single son of a bitch, that's willing to strap on a pair and make any real decisions of merit, and that would benefit America as a whole.

They're all lined up behind their campaign contributors, corporate sponsors, and ideologically driven media.

That's who's being represented. Not us, and not by party.

As an American I'm sick of the political demagogues, and political posturing.

As Americans we'll all go down with this ship, and our elected representatives are to busy striking a pose to either notice that the ship is sinking, or to care.

At this point I'm pretty confident that they'll strike some "last minute compromise" that no one will like, and then both parties will be blaming each other up until the 2012 elections, and then start blaming the winner for their own failures.

Classic Washington, and in the meantime, our quality of life as Americans will continue to diminish.

 

[Jack Springer]

Actually, we do tax wealth, Jack.

And this is all a lie. There are no tax increases on the table right now. Just cuts in loopholes and tax shelters.

Americans WANT this to happen overwhelmingly and they also BLAME the republicans and conservative most for causing it in the first place, and now blocking the wealthy from paying taxes. I want one simple answer from you JAck, as a human being, and as a friend.

What is more important, feeding children and giving care to the elderly, OR giving the wealthy a deduction on a summer home, a private jet, or any other obscenity they have.

The rich dont pay taxes and I want FIRST to hear why that is moral, and that is logical for our nation to do that.

BP, I do everything I can to help those less fortunate than myself. I think the government has does a lot too. The bad part is that many know how to abuse the system and get away with stealing precious resources. This was shown by the latest videos from Ohio that didn't get much press.

I'm for fairness, giving a tax break to someone buying a second home is bullshit. Giving 100% depreciation in one year for buying a airplane is bullshit. Funding useless programs and grants year after year to prop up universities is bullshit.

I'm all for a balanced fair tax -- the tax code has been abused by Republicans and Democrats alike.

Once we can realize who the real enemy is -- our elected, republican and democrat, greedy, retirement funded, politicians, we'll be able to make progress. What was supposed to be a part-time job has turned into career -- it was never supposed to be this way.

Get rid of the assholes in DC. Term limits. No retirement benefits -- pay into social security like everyone else.

 

[BostonPirate]

BP, I do everything I can to help those less fortunate than myself. I think the government has does a lot too. The bad part is that many know how to abuse the system and get away with stealing precious resources. This was shown by the latest videos from Ohio that didn't get much press.

I'm for fairness, giving a tax break to someone buying a second home is bullshit. Giving 100% depreciation in one year for buying a airplane is bullshit. Funding useless programs and grants year after year to prop up universities is bullshit.

I'm all for a balanced fair tax -- the tax code has been abused by Republicans and Democrats alike.

Once we can realize who the real enemy is -- our elected, republican and democrat, greedy, retirement funded, politicians, we'll be able to make progress. What was supposed to be a part-time job has turned into career -- it was never supposed to be this way.

Get rid of the assholes in DC. Term limits. No retirement benefits -- pay into social security like everyone else.

I agree on every count there, but the Ohio thing... haven't seen it.

but I could have written that myself. Iam inclined and wish there was a way to end the terms of all current members of the US senate in 2012. I can't really think of a mechanism that could do it at this point, but its what we need.

Clear the board and get a new batch in, and if they can't legislate responsibly, then they need to go the next time.

Term limits? The house members only get two years a pop, and the senate... I worry that if the senate had term limits it would stop the smaller states from getting adequate clout within the national agenda. I think we as a people need to get OURSELVES to vote in a way that seems like there are term limits. IF we limit the shelf life as voters to a few terms, just as a voting habit, then we would not have to legislate the thing into effect.

I would also like to see the presidential term limit legislation changed to read that you can only have two consecutive terms, but have to sit out of the third following, and allow the elder presidents the chance to come back later if it is the best interest of the nation.

 

[Jack Springer]

^^^^

here's the link to the videos. It's James O'Keefe so I don't expect many to watch it -- but they should.

http://theprojectveritas.com/node/51

 

[BostonPirate]

no

I don't watch Okeefe. he makes me throw things at my computer...lol. Is there anything in print that has a link to it that discusses it?

 

[Jack Springer]

I found this with google.

All the "journalists" are too busy trying to hang Murdoch to focus on anything else.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsme...ames_okeefes_sting_would_have_been_caught.php

You should with an open mind watch a couple of videos. They may be eye opening for you and others.

 

[CowboyBob]

I found this with google.

All the "journalists" are too busy trying to hang Murdoch to focus on anything else.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsme...ames_okeefes_sting_would_have_been_caught.php

You should with an open mind watch a couple of videos. They may be eye opening for you and others.

Springer, you keep repeating your "watch with an OPEN MIND" when you don't have one.


Your mind is a closed and locked Republican bank vault.

 

[Jack Springer]

Springer, you keep repeating your "watch with an OPEN MIND" when you don't have one.


Your mind is a closed and locked Republican bank vault.

Bob, you don't know me. You think you do -- but you don't.

I have a very open mind.

I have NEVER voted a straight Republican ticket. I've voted for the Democrat candidate for President, Senator, Congressman several times in my life.

I watch, read, and listen to a variety of news.

 

[Kulindahr]

I found this with google.

All the "journalists" are too busy trying to hang Murdoch to focus on anything else.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsme...ames_okeefes_sting_would_have_been_caught.php

You should with an open mind watch a couple of videos. They may be eye opening for you and others.

Nice article -- points out that OKeefe seemingly lied and definitely misled.

 

[Jack Springer]

^^^

Not really Kuli, you need to read it again.

 

[Kulindahr]

^^^

Not really Kuli, you need to read it again.

Okay.

He lied more than he misrepresented.


He lied to the reporters:

O'Keefe told the Daily Caller that he would release the unedited videos to anyone who wanted them. When TPM asked his spokesman for copies of the full videos, he only pointed to only one full clip posted at the end of the edited video. He didn't respond to a request for the rest of the unedited footage.

He lied in an e-mail to supporters:

The Daily Caller's report also makes much of one employee in Madison County telling the men her office wouldn't report illegal aliens to federal authorities. So did O'Keefe. In an email to supporters, O'Keefe wrote: "At another office in Madison County, Medicaid worker Robin Johnson assured our investigators that their immigration status would not prohibit them from collecting benefits."

That appears to be directly the opposite of what the worker said

He's a liar.