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There is more to it than how much tax revenue comes in, but it seems that the idea of controlling spending is off the table for some.
This is the type of brainless nonsense I despise about CDF. How can you read my posts, where I constantly say spending must be cut but that cuts alone cannot pay for the entire $1.5 trillion deficit, and come to the conclusion that spending cuts are off the table? Please read the damn thread before posting nonsense like the junk you did.
Seriously, people like you need to read more and talk less until you can at least accurately say what a poster's position actually is.
This is the type of brainless nonsense I despise about CDF. How can you read my posts, where I constantly say spending must be cut but that cuts alone cannot pay for the entire $1.5 trillion deficit, and come to the conclusion that spending cuts are off the table? Please read the damn thread before posting nonsense like the junk you did.
Seriously, people like you need to read more and talk less until you can at least accurately say what a poster's position actually is.
Well, Sparky, if you were talking about the need to cut spending, then you would not be one of the people to whom I was referring. My post said, "to some;" it did not say "to Oerdin." Therefore, perhaps you should heed your own advice and read more - or more carefully.
Well, Sparky, if you were talking about the need to cut spending, then you would not be one of the people to whom I was referring. My post said, "to some;" it did not say "to Oerdin." Therefore, perhaps you should heed your own advice and read more - or more carefully.
You can't handle deficits by simply cutting spending (most of it won't happen in the real world I live in). Should they be cut? Some of it, sure! But at the same time, you can't turn away from the realities of a structural issue that these tax cuts have created. Even as it stands now, people think they are taxed too much. Where do we stop?
And if you're for cutting spending realistically, could you itemize what you would and what the savings would be?
I can agree with that completely. Sure, SSI needs to move the retirement age and probably remove the SSI cap (where only the first $106,000 made is required to pay into SSI) but the system is more or less self contained and should be left alone other then those changes. That leaves medicare and the military as the big ticket items which will have to cut if we're serious about balancing the budget. I am under no illusions that either or a combo of both can be cut to make up $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction so simply as a factual matter tax increases will be necessary.
Anyone who says other wise is a clown who isn't serious about balancing the budget. We could cut the entire decressionary budget by 20%-25% and we'd still only be about 1/3rd of the way to balancing the budget so tax increases must be part of the equation. That's just the hard math. Luckily, taxes are at record lows so if we raise them we can still be below the post WW2 average but the days of getting everything without paying for it have to end.
Here's a way to cut military spending....bring the almost 500,000 American troops home from overseas and stop trying to police the entire world. According to a 2008 Defense Department report:
As of March 31, 2008, U.S. armed forces were stationed at more than 820 installations in at least 135 countries.[18] Some of the largest contingents are the 151,000 military personnel deployed in Iraq, the 71,000 in Afghanistan, the 52,440 in Germany (see list), the 35,688 in Japan (USFJ), the 28,500 in Republic of Korea (USFK), and the 9,660 in Italy and the 9,015 in the United Kingdom respectively. These numbers change frequently due to the regular recall and deployment of units.
Altogether, 77,917 military personnel are located in Europe, 141 in the former Soviet Union, 47,236 in East Asia and the Pacific, 3,362 in North Africa, the Near East, and South Asia, 1,355 are in sub-Saharan Africa with 1,941 in the Western Hemisphere excepting the United States itself.
This video from CNN is honest and straight talk about America's budget deficit, the reasons for it, and why it will never be balanced without tax increases.
That is utter nonsense. Honest and straight talk from who? CNN? lol
Go ahead, let the cuts expire and see what happens. You think the economy is going to get better after that? You think the deficit will get better as Dems continue to spend?
Republicans said the same thing when Clinton cut spending and raised taxes yet we saw the strongest economy since the 1920's. The reality is tax rates are at historic lows and setting them at Clinton era rates would still be well below the historic post WW2 average. It would be the responsible thing to do and to not do it means you aren't serious about solving the deficit problem.
As for spending cuts... I expect the deficit reduction commission to recommend substantial spending cuts especially to the structural deficit (as opposed to one time temporary expenditures) which will be a huge improvement to the 5-10 year budget picture.
This video from CNN is honest and straight talk about America's budget deficit, the reasons for it, and why it will never be balanced without tax increases.
The highlighted statement removes any credibility this thread may of had. Taxes are income to the government, in the real world you cant just keep increasing your income to compensate for your out of control and reckless spending habits!
The highlighted statement removes any credibility this thread may of had. Taxes are income to the government, in the real world you cant just keep increasing your income to compensate for your out of control and reckless spending habits!
In the real world, the only time I have seen that income drop is...
- The country is in recession
- When tax cuts have been implemented
Nobody is suggesting that spending shouldn't be controlled. It would be the logical thing to do. But at the same time, there hasn't been an attempt to help economy recover with spending cuts.
After all is said and done, what have the current tax cuts done? Do we have anything to show for but one of the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression (another economic debacle that followed tax cuts).
Here's a way to cut military spending....bring the almost 500,000 American troops home from overseas and stop trying to police the entire world.
You and I may want it but do you think neocons will let that happen? Somehow, we must find a way to keep the massive industrial complex happy and satisfied as well.
You and I may want it but do you think neocons will let that happen? Somehow, we must find a way to keep the massive industrial complex happy and satisfied as well.
The democrats have been in 100% total control of the Presidency and both Houses of Congress for the past year and a half, and we still have 2 foreign wars -- but it's the "NeoCons" (read: Republicans) fault?
Not a single Democrat bill to even take a step toward bringing our troops home? Not a single bill to roll back the hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars spent, when our economy is in collapse and we have no way of generating the taxes that might pay for such insane overspending?
How many years of war under 100% Democrat control before people realize that Democrat Politicians love war spending every bit as much as Republicans?
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