Debt ceiling approaching. Raising the debt ceiling does not authorize a penny in new spending, it authorizes paying debt already incurred. Only two nations have the artificial construct of a “debt ceiling.” Only one nation has ever used the its debt ceiling purposes of blackmail. Only the Congress can authorize spending. Imagine someone saying,“Though our credit rating is so good that we can borrow more money than we need at very low interest, though we have ample opportunities to raise our income, and though we haven’t been able to agree on any method of reducing our spending, my wife and I HAVE agreed that we can’t afford to be more than so much in debt, therefore we will not be paying any of our bills (except the ones that might be dangerous to leave unpaid) until our creditors agree to cancel some of the debt that we owe, for services we are presently enjoying and goods and services we have already used.”
FDR did not pull America out of the Great Depression . . . our active entry into World War II that really put our economy at 100% performance and produced the unprecedented prosperity of the Fifties and Sixties…Yes, the war. Massive government spending: over 70% of GDP. Federal government agencies managing the operation of private companies and whole industries. Government direction of production and resource allocation. 94% tax rate on top income bracket. By war’s end, government debt over 100% of GDP.That’s what really put our economy at 100% performance and produced the unprecedented prosperity of the Fifties and Sixties…
What many posters keep “forgetting” is that many who have their hands in the government till are getting corporate welfare. Billions to oil companies, idiotically low rates for agribusiness to graze their cattle on government land, equally below-market rates for mineral and oil-drilling rights. How about “Star Wars”, which is hundreds of billions for a system that is unlikely to be valuable, and has proven over and over not to work? Or thousands of new tanks being ordered, even though everyone knows they will never be used, only to keep jobs in Ohio? (Would those tanks have been ordered if the plant was in North Dakota? unlikely….)
Wasteful spending can even include salaries for our worthless members of Congress.
It is disingenuous and willful ignorance to blame all our problems on people who receive welfare and food stamps. Research the present governor of Florida, whose firm bilked millions from Medicare. That’s a lot of $139/month food stamps, right there.
Agreed, spending must be controlled, but it is foolish to ignore corporate welfare and only blame those individuals on government assistance.
It is also time to put to rest the idea that hard work equals financial success. While it is true that financial success rarely comes without hard work (exceptions being in the “entertainment” industry), most people who work very hard get minimal reward.
What would a “balanced budget” have done? 8 December 1941: Today the United States hands over to the Empire of Japan, the following: Philippines, Guam, American Samoa, Wake, Midway…
Nice response Harley, except that you didn’t give an answer to my question:-Is the government shutdown a good thing or a bad thing?-Like all good Fox “news” viewers and “us American”, you expressed your hatred of Obama just fine. But, you failed to answer the question (which also keeps you consistent with other Fox “news” viewers).-I guess it’s your position that if only Obama had decreed that the war memorial was to stay open, that there would be no pain for anyone?-Really? Sarah Palin and Rafael Cruz show up at the memorial, and that becomes YOUR definition of ‘maximum pain’?
Must be a liberal curled up in that cave, they have the hardest time doing anything with out mommy government.Someone that’s already used to doing without would be the least affected by the coming debt-pocalypse. And, donkeys can survive under far harsher conditions than elephants… just sayin’.
What th’ hell ever happened to the noble and proud American ethic of self-reliance, standing on one’s own two feet, working for a living…It’s still there. The only thing that has changed is the willingness of a few to share. Companies have been cutting wages for years, Companies have been cutting benefits for years. Your vision is a return to Victorian era misery, not broad prosperity.
Cora: hate to disappoint you, but those licensed electricians, plumbers, and even carpenters and truck drivers had to go to school, and most have to have AA degrees to get a job.
You DO prove that survival, and the freedom to make comments here, doesn’t require any education, or knowledge!
“Solution: Close the bases, bring all the military home, let them police the borders, North & South both, and keep out the illegals! Also have them check the ships coming in for weapons, bombs, etc. This is only done to 5% of the ships at this time. Do we have to lose a major port & millions of people to a terrorist nuke bomb before we get smart? Just because they haven’t bombed us yet does not mean it will never happen! That idiot in N. Korea may very well sell a nuke to a terrorist group – I would not put it past him. Where are the drones when you need one?”
It is a tempting solution. All the money spent on the military would then be spent in the United States. We could really police our borders, as you say.
This would mean reneging on our treaties with many nations, and China, Iran, and Company would rush into the power vacuum we leave, but that might not be any worse than a lot of other things. Other people would run the world. The Chinese would love to have a crack at being THE Superpower. But again, we would still exert a lot of influence just because of our economic clout. At least for a while. But yes, let’s try letting go of the tiger’s tail and see how it works out.
braindead Premium Member over 10 years ago
Harley, you never did state whether the shutdown is good or bad. Or maybe you didn’t notice being asked.-C’mon, tell us what “us American” believe.
Doughfoot over 10 years ago
Debt ceiling approaching. Raising the debt ceiling does not authorize a penny in new spending, it authorizes paying debt already incurred. Only two nations have the artificial construct of a “debt ceiling.” Only one nation has ever used the its debt ceiling purposes of blackmail. Only the Congress can authorize spending. Imagine someone saying,“Though our credit rating is so good that we can borrow more money than we need at very low interest, though we have ample opportunities to raise our income, and though we haven’t been able to agree on any method of reducing our spending, my wife and I HAVE agreed that we can’t afford to be more than so much in debt, therefore we will not be paying any of our bills (except the ones that might be dangerous to leave unpaid) until our creditors agree to cancel some of the debt that we owe, for services we are presently enjoying and goods and services we have already used.”
Enoki over 10 years ago
We could only hope they both go extinct!
lonecat over 10 years ago
Genome, thanks for that link. I don’t know how to make automatic links, but the same page has a good graph comparing GDP to mean income:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gdp_versus_household_income.png
corzak over 10 years ago
FDR did not pull America out of the Great Depression . . . our active entry into World War II that really put our economy at 100% performance and produced the unprecedented prosperity of the Fifties and Sixties…Yes, the war. Massive government spending: over 70% of GDP. Federal government agencies managing the operation of private companies and whole industries. Government direction of production and resource allocation. 94% tax rate on top income bracket. By war’s end, government debt over 100% of GDP.That’s what really put our economy at 100% performance and produced the unprecedented prosperity of the Fifties and Sixties…
I Play One On TV over 10 years ago
What many posters keep “forgetting” is that many who have their hands in the government till are getting corporate welfare. Billions to oil companies, idiotically low rates for agribusiness to graze their cattle on government land, equally below-market rates for mineral and oil-drilling rights. How about “Star Wars”, which is hundreds of billions for a system that is unlikely to be valuable, and has proven over and over not to work? Or thousands of new tanks being ordered, even though everyone knows they will never be used, only to keep jobs in Ohio? (Would those tanks have been ordered if the plant was in North Dakota? unlikely….)
Wasteful spending can even include salaries for our worthless members of Congress.
It is disingenuous and willful ignorance to blame all our problems on people who receive welfare and food stamps. Research the present governor of Florida, whose firm bilked millions from Medicare. That’s a lot of $139/month food stamps, right there.
Agreed, spending must be controlled, but it is foolish to ignore corporate welfare and only blame those individuals on government assistance.
It is also time to put to rest the idea that hard work equals financial success. While it is true that financial success rarely comes without hard work (exceptions being in the “entertainment” industry), most people who work very hard get minimal reward.
Kip W over 10 years ago
Who needs the Centers for Disease Control? Or food inspectors? Salmonella’s doing quite well without them!
Kip W over 10 years ago
What possible benefits could there be in an educated work force, safe roads and bridges, and first responders?
CYGNUS X1 over 10 years ago
WW-IV
nordwonder over 10 years ago
Ah, yes, war, a massive spending program.
hippogriff over 10 years ago
What would a “balanced budget” have done? 8 December 1941: Today the United States hands over to the Empire of Japan, the following: Philippines, Guam, American Samoa, Wake, Midway…
pirate227 over 10 years ago
GOP Changes House rules to keep Dems from opening the government
braindead Premium Member over 10 years ago
Nice response Harley, except that you didn’t give an answer to my question:-Is the government shutdown a good thing or a bad thing?-Like all good Fox “news” viewers and “us American”, you expressed your hatred of Obama just fine. But, you failed to answer the question (which also keeps you consistent with other Fox “news” viewers).-I guess it’s your position that if only Obama had decreed that the war memorial was to stay open, that there would be no pain for anyone?-Really? Sarah Palin and Rafael Cruz show up at the memorial, and that becomes YOUR definition of ‘maximum pain’?
braindead Premium Member over 10 years ago
Really, Cora, if you actually wanted fewer illegals, you should get Republicans to prosecute those who hire them.
Uncle Joe Premium Member over 10 years ago
Must be a liberal curled up in that cave, they have the hardest time doing anything with out mommy government.Someone that’s already used to doing without would be the least affected by the coming debt-pocalypse. And, donkeys can survive under far harsher conditions than elephants… just sayin’.
Uncle Joe Premium Member over 10 years ago
What th’ hell ever happened to the noble and proud American ethic of self-reliance, standing on one’s own two feet, working for a living…It’s still there. The only thing that has changed is the willingness of a few to share. Companies have been cutting wages for years, Companies have been cutting benefits for years. Your vision is a return to Victorian era misery, not broad prosperity.
Dtroutma over 10 years ago
Cora: hate to disappoint you, but those licensed electricians, plumbers, and even carpenters and truck drivers had to go to school, and most have to have AA degrees to get a job.
You DO prove that survival, and the freedom to make comments here, doesn’t require any education, or knowledge!
Doughfoot over 10 years ago
“Solution: Close the bases, bring all the military home, let them police the borders, North & South both, and keep out the illegals! Also have them check the ships coming in for weapons, bombs, etc. This is only done to 5% of the ships at this time. Do we have to lose a major port & millions of people to a terrorist nuke bomb before we get smart? Just because they haven’t bombed us yet does not mean it will never happen! That idiot in N. Korea may very well sell a nuke to a terrorist group – I would not put it past him. Where are the drones when you need one?”
It is a tempting solution. All the money spent on the military would then be spent in the United States. We could really police our borders, as you say.
This would mean reneging on our treaties with many nations, and China, Iran, and Company would rush into the power vacuum we leave, but that might not be any worse than a lot of other things. Other people would run the world. The Chinese would love to have a crack at being THE Superpower. But again, we would still exert a lot of influence just because of our economic clout. At least for a while. But yes, let’s try letting go of the tiger’s tail and see how it works out.
sjc14850 over 10 years ago
*too.
Ironic, isn’t it?