Federal Government Domestic Spending Freeze/Cuts

Well, he did campaign on this, repeatedly, but I think it was pretty much shrugged off as a hollow promise, especially as it doesn't fit the typical view of a "liberal."

But the bottom line that we really agree on (and maybe agree with Obama on) is that yeah, we've maxed that Chinese credit card, and any practical person can see it now.

Pretty scary, especially if this follows a model that California has followed, which sort of resembles gutting a fish with a garden spade.

 

Won't happen unless the Chinese raise the rates on our card...and even then probably not.

 

hmmmm.....sounds a bit like taxes.

 

Well, we're fighting two wars, Casey. Somehow, we have to pay for it. Add the absurd Wall Street debacle and revenue has to come from somewhere. Obama didn't create the mess, but he has to fix it as best he can.

 

Proposals for a Value Added Tax has been floating around for a while.

The WSJ article about the admin planning to use TARP funds to cut the deficit has been generating a lot of buzz.

The issue is that there's potential for the admin to muddy up the accounting to make deficit reduction look better than it appears.

 

Iraq costs less or the same than the stimulus. Why is the war the number one thing on your list?

 

and less than the medical plan.

 

Because it (the wars) happened first, although I didn't think a lot about the order.

 

The Iraq war is a yearly cost, that will eventually surpass the stimulus bill. The stimulus is a fixed cost.

 

Because I'd rather spend money on economic growth here than in Iraq.

 

Does taxpayers foot the bill on Iraq infrastructure repair?
Is the Iraq infrastructure repair included in the cost of the war also?

 

Ok how about you liberals (who are so quick to call for taxes to be raised) start paying a little extra in voluntary tax to pay your part? How about you lead the way, pal?

 

Sounds awesome.

And everyone who gives the bare minimum has to wear an "I Hate America" button 24/7.

 

uhhh yeah. Those billions go right into the Iraqi's pockets. Americans never see a dime of it.

Where has the stimulus money created economic growth? Modernized a few national parks? Refurbished government buildings across America? Repaired a few roads? Its economic growth that has never been seen before!!

Its not like money for wars go into oblivion. Sure there is plenty of waste and war should never be used as an economic stimulus, but the war is a hell of a better stimulus than anything that has come about the last two years. You think soldiers are free? That is hundreds of thousands of jobs created right there. Who do you think supplies weapons and equipment? The Iraqi's?

I would much rather my money go to helping free a country from a dictator, regardless of premise, than see our money blindly bail out a bunch of bankers and car makers.

 

Amazing how quickly this turned into another rehash thread of boring FAIL.

InvisibleFan, thanks for the interesting links. Look forward to watching this unfold. It seems way to early to me to see all the "troubled assets" as out of the woods, but then, they're worth what the market says they are worth at any given instant, I suppose. (Sell!)

 

According to your incredibly unintelligent theory from last week regarding the auto bailout - in which you posited that the purchase of an Alabama-made Toyota from a Texas car dealership had zero stimulus impact - this is largely true.

Back in th real world - The spending on the war does have some growth creation effect but it's very minimal, compared to domestic spending. I believe a huge amount of the costs goes to fuel - aside from a bit of that skimmed from the top that goes to the oil companies, a lot of that heads right into the pockets of the gulf states. Some stimulus there!

It's created growth in a number of ways. What do you think the extension of unemployment benefit goes? You think unemployed people are stashing money away in their Swiss bank accounts? What about the thousands of state agencies that are able to save jobs due to a federal infusion - do you think having people laid off would have a net positive effect? Please explain.

Hell, I can tell you personally that my father's agency (he directs a non-proft org in houston that runs HeadStart programs) has received millions of dollars of new federal grants as a direct result of the EESA (assist to Sheila Jackson Lee) and in turn, they have greatly expanded their programs, which includes hiring dozens of new staff members (I believe Channel 13 did a news story on it, if I can dig up the youtube video I will post it - and please do not try to divide up the number of jobs by a million dollars and say it's a terrible ROI - that kind of weak sauce is disingenous and dumb).

LOL, which dictator is that? The one who died a few years ago? Please DO NOT shut up. Responding to your posts reminds me of Goofus and Gallant.

 

SamFisher, it makes sense that your kin include at least one insidious community organizer type. HeadStart and AK47ORN and these other anti-American groups are what is wrong with America.

 

best answer on the entire page. not the real reason but at least it made sense.

Good Job!

 

they raised it twice in 08, and once already this year. the debt ceiling has more than doubled in 10 years.... at what point will we need to stop spending?