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Old 04-08-2011, 06:08 PM   #1
Timber Loftis
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Default Budget Stupidity

We have a wheee fun show going on in Congress now. In a nutshell, the retarded right, the ones who just gave billions away to the richest 2% of Americans, are holding up the entire federal budget so they can have a big ole' fight about which poor people they are going to make the government take money away from.

Biggest target currently is Planned Parenthood. You know, that free abortion paid for by the government? Well, if that's what you thought you would be WRONG. But, understandably so because the retarded right lies through their teeth about it.

HERE is one such retarded right-winger, Senator Kyl from Arizona, lying through his teeth. He says planned parenthood spends 90% of its money on abortions.

Actually, PP spends 3% of its money on abortions, and the vast majority of its money goes to women's health and STD treatment and prevention. Also, ZERO tax dollars in America fund abortion -- Congress forbids it, something about the poor not having a right to the same health services of the wealthy, or something like that.

Anyway, there's a great pie chart graphic on the link above, along with video, so clickey and have fun.

You may also remember the graphic I posted in This Thread doing a comparative analysis of costs of tax cuts for the wealthy vs. programs at risk. The bottom line number is still too eerily indicative of where we are headed in this country:

1 yr Extension of Bush Tax Cuts for the Rich: $42 Bn.
Total at risk for cutting programs for the poor: $44 Bn.
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Old 04-09-2011, 04:21 AM   #2
ElfBane
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Default Re: Budget Stupidity

Keep the Faith, TL.
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Old 04-09-2011, 08:25 AM   #3
Cerek
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Default Re: Budget Stupidity

It's so nice to know that the Democrats apparently have no responsibility at all for the current economic situation in your world, TL.

Normally, I might suggest you are wearing rose-colored glasses, but it seems more accurate to say they are made of ruby quartz and automatically activate when exposed to the words "Right" or "Republican".
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Old 04-09-2011, 09:09 AM   #4
Felix The Assassin
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Default Re: Budget Stupidity

Hey, America has forgotten that the dims controlled both houses last year and failed to enact the budget on their watch. It is all a ploy to show America that the left can come together and make heroic stances at the end of the day. However, "WE" have not forgotten!
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Old 04-09-2011, 11:24 AM   #5
SpiritWarrior
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Thumbs Up Re: Budget Stupidity

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cerek View Post
It's so nice to know that the Democrats apparently have no responsibility at all for the current economic situation in your world, TL.

Normally, I might suggest you are wearing rose-colored glasses, but it seems more accurate to say they are made of ruby quartz and automatically activate when exposed to the words "Right" or "Republican".
Hey, I see whut you did thars!

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Old 04-09-2011, 03:56 PM   #6
Timber Loftis
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Default Re: Budget Stupidity

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cerek View Post
It's so nice to know that the Democrats apparently have no responsibility at all for the current economic situation in your world, TL.
It was straight up Republicans that forced the tax cut for the rich through. Dems wanted to extend tax cuts for everyone but the richest 2%, but the Republicans took that 2% and held the rest hostage -- and then politiced it by saying the Dems were going to hike taxes on everyone. It was shameful.

It is squarely the Republicans who continue to hold the current debate hostage, as well. And targeting planned parenthood.

In Wisconsin it is also the Republicans who are making an attack on teacher's unions. The Unions agreed to a pay cut, but that was not enough for the Governor. He flat out insists on taking away their collective bargaining rights in the future.

The Republicans preach fiscal conservation, yet they are the ones making an all-out attack on the middle class and poor, while handing $44Bn a year to all the rich, not counting the hundreds of billions in subsidies for big oil, etc.

All you can really fault the Dems for is, as a collective group, having the intestinal fortitude of a wet napkin when it comes to putting up a fight.
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Old 04-09-2011, 05:31 PM   #7
Cerek
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Default Re: Budget Stupidity

Quote:
Originally Posted by Timber Loftis View Post
It was straight up Republicans that forced the tax cut for the rich through. Dems wanted to extend tax cuts for everyone but the richest 2%, but the Republicans took that 2% and held the rest hostage -- and then politiced it by saying the Dems were going to hike taxes on everyone. It was shameful.

It is squarely the Republicans who continue to hold the current debate hostage, as well. And targeting planned parenthood.

In Wisconsin it is also the Republicans who are making an attack on teacher's unions. The Unions agreed to a pay cut, but that was not enough for the Governor. He flat out insists on taking away their collective bargaining rights in the future.

The Republicans preach fiscal conservation, yet they are the ones making an all-out attack on the middle class and poor, while handing $44Bn a year to all the rich, not counting the hundreds of billions in subsidies for big oil, etc.

All you can really fault the Dems for is, as a collective group, having the intestinal fortitude of a wet napkin when it comes to putting up a fight.
Surprisingly, I agree with completely about the Repubs and their efforts to protect the tax cuts for the rich. I also agree they are holding the current debates hostage just because they can.

However, I can fault the Dems for a little more than just being wet napkins. Obama had the full-backing of a Democratic Congress his first two years - plenty of time and power to put budget constraints in place. Instead, he followed through on the bail-outs begun under Bush and increased spending in other areas as well. I've read the reports that he increased the deficit more than all other Presidents combined. I've only done cursory research on that, but I find the claim too incredulous to really believe. Still, I believe he has increased the deficit more than any single President before (although Bush my be a close second with the War budget).

As for Wisconsin, you are right again. The Dems did try to make concessions. The Repubs and the Governor flatly refused. But then the Dems basically did a "run and hide" rather than staying to fight, which allowed the Repubs to ram their bill through without opposition. Yes, the bill was going to be rammed through anyway and the Dems probably could have offered little more than token resistance, but I think even that effort would have been viewed more favorably than saying "We're gonna take our ball and go home".

I'm generally anti-union myself and I've seen teacher's unions do as much harm as good, but, overall, they are a valuable resource and provide essential back-up and support for the teachers when needed.

My state doesn't allow unions, but I'm lucky enough to be in a very good school district where I truly feel I can approach my immediate supervisor or even the superintendent with a complaint if I felt it was necessary.

My point with the previous post is that you destroy your own credibility when you make posts about the "retarded right". I understand (and actually share) a lot of your frustration, but comments like this only hurt the validity of the arguments your making.
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Old 04-09-2011, 10:03 PM   #8
Timber Loftis
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Default Re: Budget Stupidity

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cerek View Post
Still, I believe he has increased the deficit more than any single President before (although Bush my be a close second with the War budget).
There is no way that that is true, and I'll tell you why. The statement relies on adding up the bailouts + making a ton of assumptions about the health care law that go exactly the opposite of what the CBO projects. The bailouts were almost all paid back, so nix those numbers. The health care bill will end up -- if it is not mucked with by a Congress that hates the thought of everyone being healthier -- it will end up being at worst revenue neutral, and I fall on the side of the line that thinks it will save a lot more than is currently projected: a healthier populace has very many and positive ripple effects for the economy, IMO.

Moreover, though Obama's numbers aren't in yet, you may be interested to find this out: our national debt as a % of GDP has only increased under Republicans. W was by far the worst, GHWB was second, and Reagan was the first great budget-busting spender. Reagan had 2 great causes that really started the trend of Republicans running amok spending: the Mil-Indust. Complex arms race, and the now-30 yr. old theme of giving money to the wealthy, so it can "trickle" down.

Interesting charts and graphs and stuff can be found HERE.

As a side note, I will say that I did not expect deficit reduction during a recession. The last person who tried that was Herbert Hoover, and it's seen as one of the biggest economic mistakes of the last century. When unemployment is high it's hard to solve the problem by firing raftloads of federal workers. In fact, I wanted to see *more* stimulus, and *pure* stimulus -- like fixing the 1000's of roads and bridges across the country that are in need of repair. Flat out hiring for shovels and hammers. What we got was too little stimulus and stimulus that was packaged in crazy ways that were hard to access or utilize.

Oh, and regarding my credibility and the word "retarded right" -- I am not above characterizing things. It's an objection I get all the time in hearings. I'm over it. And this is the interwebbs, where credibility is worth about 3 pennies.
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Old 04-09-2011, 10:42 PM   #9
SpiritWarrior
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Default Re: Budget Stupidity

Didn't someone just, in this very thread, refer to the "Dems' as the "Dims"? Not that it is a good insult at all (has nothing on "Retarded Right" lol), but still...it should also be noted and pointed out that it hurts afformentioned validity just the same. Unless this too is highlighted, it immediately looks like bias. Personally, I've called the whackos on the right much worse and wholly stand by it - not sure how it would hurt a well constructed argument to use some very astute adjectives.
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Old 04-09-2011, 10:52 PM   #10
Cerek
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Default Re: Budget Stupidity

Quote:
Originally Posted by Timber Loftis View Post
There is no way that that is true, and I'll tell you why. The statement relies on adding up the bailouts + making a ton of assumptions about the health care law that go exactly the opposite of what the CBO projects. The bailouts were almost all paid back, so nix those numbers. The health care bill will end up -- if it is not mucked with by a Congress that hates the thought of everyone being healthier -- it will end up being at worst revenue neutral, and I fall on the side of the line that thinks it will save a lot more than is currently projected: a healthier populace has very many and positive ripple effects for the economy, IMO.

Moreover, though Obama's numbers aren't in yet, you may be interested to find this out: our national debt as a % of GDP has only increased under Republicans. W was by far the worst, GHWB was second, and Reagan was the first great budget-busting spender. Reagan had 2 great causes that really started the trend of Republicans running amok spending: the Mil-Indust. Complex arms race, and the now-30 yr. old theme of giving money to the wealthy, so it can "trickle" down.

Interesting charts and graphs and stuff can be found HERE.

As a side note, I will say that I did not expect deficit reduction during a recession. The last person who tried that was Herbert Hoover, and it's seen as one of the biggest economic mistakes of the last century. When unemployment is high it's hard to solve the problem by firing raftloads of federal workers. In fact, I wanted to see *more* stimulus, and *pure* stimulus -- like fixing the 1000's of roads and bridges across the country that are in need of repair. Flat out hiring for shovels and hammers. What we got was too little stimulus and stimulus that was packaged in crazy ways that were hard to access or utilize.

Oh, and regarding my credibility and the word "retarded right" -- I am not above characterizing things. It's an objection I get all the time in hearings. I'm over it. And this is the interwebbs, where credibility is worth about 3 pennies.
That's why I said I found the claim too incredulous to really believe.
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