TX Budget Approved. UT tutition to go up at least 50%.

Good luck, Major. They believe what they want to... it's a free country. They choose to dismiss the great influence Bush had on the Legislature when he was in office.

Surprisingly, the Republicans had swept into power in the House in Washington. Gingrich had just started his "revolution" and had the State's Democrats startled and nervous. Some of them, many of whom were conservative anyway, thought they could cover their backside by not opposing a popular Governor.

It fascinates me how Bush gets the credit as Governor, running for election and re-election as a "tax-cutting conservative", for anything perceived at the time as good... cutting taxes... but he's "powerless" if in retrospect it might have been a bad idea.

He cut taxes more than once while Governor. It was his agenda. He wanted and deserves the credit. He used it as a major issue and accomplishment in his run for President. "I cut taxes in Texas and I'll cut them for the American people!" was a familiar refrain for anyone who cares to remember. He was far from powerless. The Governor can have great influence if he's very popular and the circumstances are right... John Connally, anyone?

 

Damn it, I went to the Daily Texan after reading this thread to read about tuition deregulation, and I saw an article about my geology professor from last semester dying in a horrible car accident.

 

Man this anectdote is screaming for an aggie joke punchline but it is late and I am at work and tired and can't think of one.

 

It amazes me how you are incapable of grasping the simplest of concepts.

Major, when economic activity declines from a previous level, tax receipts decline as well. When terrorists attack our country and security must be tightened, spending increases. These two events, in combination, impact the budget *much* more than tax cuts. I can't believe I have to explain this.

 

Federal taxes are cut so...
States receive fewer funds so...
States cut budgets so...
Programs are juggled and cut so...
Local taxes go up to cover the shortfall.

When federal taxes are cut, our ACTUAL tax rate goes up.

 

How much do those schools spend on their athletic departments? I'm surprised no one has even considered such an obvious way to save some money.

 

In truth, our economy is still growing but at a very slow rate which means our tax revenues increase if taxes are kept at the same rate. The problem is two fold. First our state legislature and national congress passed tax cuts based on an future estimated tax revenues that were way off. Everyone knew that the economy could not sustain its growth rate but Bush pushed tax cuts through based on those numbers. Also, both Democrats and Republicans have a problem not spending money that they don't have.

 

Major, when economic activity declines from a previous level, tax receipts decline as well. When terrorists attack our country and security must be tightened, spending increases. These two events, in combination, impact the budget *much* more than tax cuts. I can't believe I have to explain this.

You can keep explaining it all you want, but it doesn't make it true. Analysis after analysis shows that (at least at the federal level) the tax cuts had a far greater impact on revenue shortfalls than economic growth, 9/11-related spending increases and the Iraqi war.

However, feel free to continue your tradition of ignoring facts and spouting garbage. You are quite good at it.

 

This is definitely bad news for incoming freshman, and other future Horns and Aggies. I have lots of buddies that took out thousands of dollars in student loans, in addition to working nights to pay tuition and expenses. Now the Board of Regents, which is not elected, can raise tuition without the public's approval. It's a shame that with all the money this state has, we're forced to raise tuition. We're Texas, dammit. We deserve to have a public university system second to none.

 

When terrorists attack our country and security must be tightened, spending increases. These two events, in combination, impact the budget *much* more than tax cuts. I can't believe I have to explain this.

Check the stories in USA Today on Sept. 10: you'll see that there was a big write-up about how the economy has gone in the toilet since Bush took office.

How much do those schools spend on their athletic departments? I'm surprised no one has even considered such an obvious way to save some money.

That's the most obvious answer, isn't it? Too bad most people believe a college's ability to field a good football team is more important than a college's ability to educate their students.

 

GreenVegan -- since Bush took office, huh? how about before he ever hit office? but even if only since he took office...what cataclysmic effect do you think the man had LESS THAN A YEAR on the job!??! that's absolutely ridiculous to draw those parallels. im guessing you know that.

actually...there is an argument that college athletics MAKES money for universities...particularly in ways that are difficult to measure.

 

Green,
re: the economy w/ Bush in office

I have said and continue to say that the current economic conditions are NOT Bush's fault. The economy was great for years, and it was already starting to head downward prior to the election. The multiple punches the economy has had to withstand like 9/11, executive corruption, SARS, etc. would have still happened with Clinton or Gore in office.

That said, I do have deep reservations about Bush's fiscal policy. I think tax cuts are a good thing, but under the current circumstances it just isn't responsible. More attention needs to be paid to reducing spending and avoiding deficits. I get the impression that this administration thinks money grows on trees due to the way billions are designated for different programs every week.

 

Only a handful of schools make any money on their athletics departments. And I have an inkling that many major universities hide some of their athletic expeditures. Also, with the economy like it is, I think it's become even harder for programs to make money. UT and A+M *might* make some money in immeasurable ways, but do you think West TX A+M, Baylor, UH do? I doubt it, though I do not have specific numbers at my disposal.

 

you may be right...my last semester in law school I took Sports Law. (great class!) we talked about whether or not universities make money on college athletics. There are some that absolutely postively do. U. Mich. comes to mind, if I remember right. But what our professor mentioned was that it's very hard to measure if you're only looking at attendance, souvenirs, etc. When Fla. St. wins the national championship, they see spikes in applications...applications from better students even...more students...better students..can mean better reputation...which fosters success. Plus, alumni are more likely to give to a university that has a quality athletic program...but you can't directly tie that to the success on the field. It's a soft science to be sure, but I think there's some truth there.

 

I'd be fascinated to see these 'pieces of analysis'. I'd love for you to prove this nonsense, Major. Can you deliver?

 

You have to *earn* a detailed response from me. You have yet to show me that you understand even the most basic of financial and economic principles. Your latest post reinforces this belief.

Are you attempting to draw a correlation between Bush's taking office and the economic downturn? If so, please prove this with objective, verifiable facts. I'd love to see you do it, rookie.

 

Clinton: Eight years of record employment and stock prices. Largest budget surplus in 50 years. Dollar's value reaches record highs.

Bush: 36 months of record unemployment, record-low interest rates, biggest deficit in history, and 2.5 million lost jobs. Stock prices plummet 33 percent. The dollar reaches its lowest level since 1970.

Clinton inherited a sluggish economy and helped make America prosperous. Bush inherited a prosperous economy and took a dump on it.

But since you're probably having trouble grasping the concept that Clinton was good for the country, let me put into simple graph form for you:

 

good thing im graduating from the university of texas next semester :-D

 

GreenVegan -- you really believe that don't you? you really believe a president controls the economic cycles....