Tell your Congressman to vote "No" on this bastard son budget deal. The historic $38 billion in budget cuts resulting from at-times hostile bargaining between Congress and the Obama White House were accomplished in large part by pruning money left over from previous years, using accounting sleight of hand and going after programs President Barack Obama had targeted anyway. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110412/D9MI4KNG1.html A more positive position on the cuts is presented here: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/155421-six-month-spending-bill-unveiled-whats-cut-and-whats-not
There is no doubt in my mind any more that we are completely fucked. The republicans are hailing 38 billion dollars in cuts as a job well done, and a big victory, and the democrats are calling the cuts "draconian" and talking about how it is basically the end of the world that we cut 38 billion out of the 4 trillion dollar budget. The 1.6 trillion dollar deficit this year means that starting next year we owe 45 billion dollars more per year just in interest on this years deficit. That means that with these cuts, we are still 7 billion dollars underwater for next years budget. Plus government is growing by more than 38 billion dollars per year.... And the f$%^&$ clowns in congress on one side consider it a victory, and the clowns on the other side consider it "extreme" and are talking about how people are going to die if these cuts go through. This removed any lingering doubt that ever remained in my mind that we are past the point of no return. WE ARE COMPLETELY FUCKED, aside from hyperinflation, (which is what Bernanke is currently working on) there is absolutely no way out of this.
Unfortunately you're probably right. And maybe one of our esteemed bleeding hearts can explain how balancing a budget/living within our means is "draconian" or even controversial for that matter.
Finally the press is beginning to pick up on the fact that the so called budget cuts are mostly a sham. I say lets stop the debt ceiling from going any higher and keep it right here. Send all non-essential government employees home (all 800,000). Close overseas military bases. Cut Congress's pay in half. Pay for just one round trip commercial air fare home per month for congress. Get rid of the Air Force 1 747 and replace it with a smaller 737 or maybe even a Citation. Slash the budget for EVERY department/program/entitlement by 50% across the board, no exceptions. Cap all government pensions, old and new, at $50,000/yr. etc. etc. Nearly everyone should pay taxes and have an investment in this country. Everyone who makes more than $20,000 per year has to pay some income taxes even if it is just a couple percent.
Only in republican fantasy land can you cut taxes,start 2 wars,add a medicaid drug benefit and then complain about living within our means
I agree with alot of this but 1.I dont like Obama or Bush,but the office of US President deserves Air Force One 2.Do most of what you stated and bring all tax levels back to where they were 50 years ago.This country would be in great shape in no time
I was listening to Glenn Beck one morning, and they were talking about Tesla. Beck said something to the effect that a ratings agency had moved to the company to overweight in it's portfolio, "whatever that means". :eek: I realized then that most of the talking heads have no clue on the market or it's mechanics. Sean Hannity also said on air that we do not raise the debt ceiling. If we do not raise the debt ceiling, and have not passed a budget that will shrink the rate of borrowing, what is going to happen when we cannot borrow anymore? When we cannot pay our bills? Yep, we defaulted, but we sure stuck to our guns! How stupid is that? I have concluded that politics, like religion, is largely an opiate for the masses, to give the illusion of control. The debt ceiling will be raised, all of this 'debate" is just a dog and pony show so you can keep from picking up a pitchfork.
The question was: "maybe one of our esteemed bleeding hearts can explain how balancing a budget/living within our means is "draconian" or even controversial for that matter." No argument here. What I'd like to know is when are we going to pick up the pitchfork. IF we could afford it maybe, but we can't period.
Balancing the budget/living within our means is not "draconian" or even controversial.Remember the last 2 real democratic presidents had balanced or close to balanced budgets Someone should have explained to Reagan , Bush and the republican in democrats clothing Obama the importance of a balanced budget