http://www.commondreams.org/further/2011/01/04-1

Perhaps this is one of those fithy leftist lies, since it comes from a Liberal source (CBS).

Yes we could do a little better job with distribution of wealth.......

I say raise taxes on anyone making over 2 mil a year. I mean what could you possibly need that costs more than that??

If we still fall short, I think the military could do with a couple billion less. I point to the fact that the worlds largest Air Force is the U.S. Air Force, the world's second largest Air Force?? The United States Navy.

Good one!

Cut social security? Really? I personally want cuts in Social Spending, less involvement in foreign military actions and prolonged military actions abroad, and more financial responsibility in government and Military!

BUT likewise we need to be superior in Military tech and that costs! Likewise so does maintaining a military. Now say we charged for our services for a change, all those countries we help!

If people can't do for themselves what good are they to the rest of us who DO for our selves? Hell, we spit on Vets who ARE disabled but coddle foreign illegal immigrants! The Disabled Veterans are the ones who earned disability! People who paid into Social Security that are injured grievously and are unable to do anything deserve help. Some homeless slob who decides he can't work becasue of a drug problem... Gutter trash fit only for Gladiatorial spectacle!

I never once said we should cut Social Security, CONGRESS needs to stop tapping the till! I DO however feel welfare and disability needs more strings attached. At least 3/4s of the people receiving it refuse job skills training or making any attempt at becoming productive again. Disability is treated like a golden ticket instead of an assistance program. That sucks becasue it bleeds money from people who really do need the help.





OH! PEACE THROUGH SUPERIOR FIREPOWER!

But on one other note, Hitler was quoted as saying Germany had the best tanks in the world referring to the Panzer IV Tiger tank an the Panzer V Panther. He said one of their tanks is worth ten of ours. General Rommel's rebuttal to that was "the Americans always seem to have that accursed 11th tank!"

Superior weapons do no good against superior numbers without the man power to back it! I cannot for the life of me see why no one has decided to rebuild the A10 Warthog as a new modern plane for the new age since it proved beyond a shadow of a doubt its usefulness on the battle field! Why is it the F20 Tigershark was not good enough for our military. It didn't cost enough or something?

Superior does not mean costlier! We just need a more businesslike Military!

never gonna fly, the rich OWN this country

doing your part is just a cliche they use to make everyone else continue to keep them rich

dont expect them to make such a sweeping sacrifice to sustain the rest,,,,


we will all have to bite the bullet and pay more so they have no excuses,,,its the only way that proposal will work

Really? You are suprised by that poll? They had 4 choices and one of them would have no affect on them. Of course people are going to vote on what is best for them personally. Non rich will always say tax the rich guy. Well almost always.

I wasn't at all surprised. We've known for some time that the vast majority of Americans want all the same things that Liberals want in many areas. You 33%ers really are out of step.

The big Conservative "landslide" of 2010 happened because Democrats stayed home. I don't think that's going to happen in 2012, particularly with this aggressive "coup" that the extreme right Governors are trying to pull off. Just my opinion.

Everyone has had some really valid points. No one wants to see changes to tax rates or social programs which benefit them. But it doesn't make sense to take from the people who just can't afford it, even if they do make up 90% of the population. I also agree that welfare and disability (AISH in Canada) has a great number of people who abuse the system. The US gov't is especially notorious for sending millions or even billions of dollars overseas without having policies in place to keep an accurate accounting record to keep track of it. Then they turn to their people and say, "we're broke - I just don't understand it. You'll just have to dig in your heels and cough up more." And at the same time, millions of Americans are out of work because corporations want to save a few pennies and have outsourced their jobs. Profit above people. Those corporations and shareholders are then sheltered from the bulk of the taxes putting this conversation back to square one. The US needs to review it's foreign policy, billions can be saved just from there and the only people who will feel the pain are the corrupt governments overseas. It's a win-win. The Daily Show and The Colbert Report have both been exploring this topic lately, interesting viewpoints. Good topic!

Hi, taoisme. Haven't seen you in the politics forum before. Welcome.
About a year ago, I searched and searched for some statistics about how many jobs had been offshored. As it turned out, the Government does not require businesses to report these figures. Citizens United can only make it more difficult to get this kind of information.

Good to meet you Artlo! It's an interesting topic, and everyone has an opinion. Like I said, The Daily Show has been talking about this topic for awhile and one of Jon Stewart's guests, Allison Stanger, wrote a book called "One Nation Under Contract". She specifically looks at how the US government has contracted out many of the military jobs overseas. (http://dailyshow.thecomedynetwork.ca/#player-area) I can imagine how many workers are out of jobs because even the government is outsourcing.

Ooff! Blackwater (They call themself something else, now. Xi, I think), is one of the premier examples of Bush Administration's privatization efforts. It is truly evil.

I remember something about Blackwater - it rings a bell and it goes to show that this is not a new problem. The interview that I posted a link to is especially interesting as it ties in with the rest of the thread about how the government is spending excess cash in ways and places that it doesn't have to and in many ways is making the problems worse. Even to the point where it is funding the "enemy" - forcing it's military to continue fighting expensive and pointless wars.
The US government likes to play the global hero and rushes in to save the day. They forget A - to look before leaping and B - that they have no actual super powers anymore. They're just a guy in undies and a cape.

I don't have anything to add. I think we are of a single mind.

Profit above people


you, my dear, have summed it up,,,

here is a little reality check for the leftists that think they have a winner with this issue..

"The CBO said the fiscal 2011 deficit will hit $1.48 trillion, up from last August's $1.07 trillion estimate, which was crafted before Bush-era tax rates were extended at a cost of $858 billion over 10 years."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/26/us-usa-economy-cbo-idUSTRE70P5U220110126


When you look at the numbers you see that extending the BUSH tax cuts for EVERYONE is costing $858 billion over 10 years.

If they let the BUSH tax cuts expire for everyone the deficit would still be over $1 trillion for 2011..

Raising the tax rates back to Clinton era levels for the rich only would bring in $700 billion over 10 years.

That means it would take 20 years to equal Obama's 2011 budget deficit.

You see where I am going with this?

Raising taxes on the rich is a drop in the bucket compared to the debt we are amassing under the Keynesian Brotherhood running the ObamaNomics policy.

The idea that raising taxes on only the rich and everything is going to go back to normal is laughable.

It is meaningless..

Can't seem to get this across. The nominal figure is relatively meaningless. Can you translate those figures into "as a % of GDP"?

They should have had a 5th option "cut elected officials salary by 5%".

For the last 20 years a nations GDP was based on the flow of money only. Not the base of trade and actual production!

Why is it you think the media paints rosy pictures about the economy? It only is based on flow, not real tangible jobs! It amazes me that GDP can rise with a loss of manufacturing and trade! When you look past the flow of money the annual GDP looks BLEAK for us!