tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616542941395272083.post2834085914356716326..comments2023-05-23T04:21:47.246-07:00Comments on morning coffee: What a dumb ass.Jim G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00142119429985458217noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616542941395272083.post-51929819737384596652011-03-05T06:54:13.908-08:002011-03-05T06:54:13.908-08:00I am not saying we are screwed. I'm saying tha...I am not saying we are screwed. <b>I'm saying that we need to pay our bills.</b> We need to phase in significant tax increases to pay for the government services that we want. The GOP has very irresponsibly brought receipts down - generally under the "starve the beast" philosophy. Worse - they have yet to acknowledge the folly of their ways, which prevents the problem from being solved.<br /><br />Spending has continued to rise as America has aged. Social Security and Medicare costs rise faster than the economy grows each and every year. We have seen this coming - we just didn't set up a reliable revenue source to pay for it. Remember the Prescription Drug bill? More "something for nothing" from the GOP... <br /><br />Unfortunately, the folks that cry out "just cut spending" are generally not familiar with the budget. They offer no specifics because they do not know any. They are ignorant. <br /><br />Current revenues as a percentage of GDP are very low. They are 33% below what Clinton brought in prior to the tenure of GWB. When facing such a massive deficit, it is rather obvious that the solution will come in spending cuts AND new taxes. There is no practical alternative.<br /><br />Get a clue, Lou.Baxterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16542863255802738652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616542941395272083.post-86746443787429322922011-03-05T06:04:02.251-08:002011-03-05T06:04:02.251-08:00So your point must be that we are inevitably scre...So your point must be that we are inevitably screwed. Again, as you Democrats/Socialist/Liberals are want to do, you give a cursory dismissal of the message, attack the messenger and ignore the point and facts.<br /><br />You must believe that we are inevitably screwed because:<br /><br />1) Your side is attacking the, as you describe, minimal proposed cuts in spending.<br /> <br />2) Your side is refusing to address the continued growth of government spending over the past 5/10/20 years for which no party is spared blame. At the current rate of growth of government spending, it will soon consume everything.<br /><br />So your side, and I'm sure those protestors in WI are full of the statistics that you accuse me of lacking, is locking us into a run away train toward bankruptcy. You won't limit spending, you won't limit growth, you only want to raise taxes. <br /><br />Folks are mad, go figure.Jim G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00142119429985458217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4616542941395272083.post-12557896916377761722011-03-04T22:49:35.793-08:002011-03-04T22:49:35.793-08:00One of your better ignorant rants, Doc.
Well, my ...One of your better <b>ignorant</b> rants, Doc.<br /><br />Well, my brilliant b-i-l, I do plenty of research. I wish you would just read a little about these topics, even though you are not a legislator. Facts is facts, and they damn the fiscal performance of the GOP over the past thirty years. I just wish you would accept the very obvious, objective facts.<br /><br />What better way to measure federal receipts and outlays than as a percentage of GDP? Unless/until you have a plan to bring down spending below 15%/GDP, you need to get revenues up.<br /><br />I am able to smugly point out your ignorance on this simple topic, time and again, for your failure to grasp the obvious. The American people want services that add up to more than 15%/GDP. More than 20%, in fact. So - if you want to live with the current tax structure and corresponding revenue - you need to find a way to take away Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. You will have to significantly pare Defense spending. Then you will need to establish a manner of paying down the debt. Good luck.<br /><br />I hope your fellow Republicans campaign hard to take the "15%/GDP approach". They would likely be led by Rand Paul - all 20 or so that managed to get re-elected.Baxterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16542863255802738652noreply@blogger.com