Federal Spending up 16 %

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
But even without new spending, there will be a deficit. What do you suggest cutting?

I do rather feel that a 'Cut Spending! Cut Spending!' blowhard who can't actually propose a single substantial cut from long standing programmes, leaves himself open to being seen as a bit of a political milquetoast. I mean, almost page three of the thread and nothing unequivocal or specific from the poster of the OP?

Originally posted by FMF
So you want to keep all the old/current spending?

and if UTP agrees that we should keep all of the old/current spending, he should also agree that we need to raise taxes until the budget is balanced and we're no longer asking China to pick up the tab.

Originally posted by Melanerpes
and if UTP agrees that we should keep all of the old/current spending, he should also agree that we need to raise taxes until the budget is balanced and we're no longer asking China to pick up the tab.

You took the words right out of my mouth, son, like a wee bird taking a worm from the beak of his father.

Originally posted by FMF
I do rather feel that a 'Cut Spending! Cut Spending!' blowhard who can't actually propose a single substantial cut from long standing programmes, leaves himself open to being seen as a bit of a political milquetoast. I mean, almost page three of the thread and nothing unequivocal or specific from the poster of the OP?

I assume you are referring to me.
If I wanted to get jacked around like a puppet on a string and play your little games I would and could give a list of cuts.
Thats not what the OP is about.
It is about a 16% increase in federal domestic spending the largest in history.$3.2 trillion, in 2009!

Originally posted by utherpendragon
I assume you are referring to me.
If I wanted to get jacked around like a puppet on a string and play your little games I would and could give a list of cuts.
Thats not what the OP is about.
It is about a 16% increase in federal domestic spending the largest in history.$3.2 trillion, in 2009!

16% of $3.2 Trill comes out to about $500Bill extra being spent this year -- which is almost entirely the result of temporary measures like the stimulus. If this is what you're objecting to, wait a year or two and it will have completely expired.

Then we can enact a tax increase that will be sufficient to balance the underlying permanent budget that you still have yet to provide any objections to.

Originally posted by utherpendragon
I assume you are referring to me.
If I wanted to get jacked around like a puppet on a string and play your little games I would and could give a list of cuts.
Thats not what the OP is about.
It is about a 16% increase in federal domestic spending the largest in history.$3.2 trillion, in 2009!

Being asked to give your opinion on a political issue in a political debate forum is "playing games"?

Why won't you tell what kind of spending cuts you'd like to make to balance the budget? Do you want to let the Bush tax cuts expire? How about defense spending? Social security? The legal pension age?

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
Being asked to give your opinion on a political issue in a political debate forum is "playing games"?

Why won't you tell what kind of spending cuts you'd like to make to balance the budget? Do you want to let the Bush tax cuts expire? How about defense spending? Social security? The legal pension age?

I'll be happy to answer those, whether asked or not.

===Do you want to let the Bush tax cuts expire?===

YES

===How about defense spending?===

Cut it, but not as much many on the left would like. We still need a strong military; just not as costly as what we have now

===Social security? The legal pension age?===

Raise the retirement age to 67 early and 69 full (from 62 and 65). Raise the tax by applying it to people who make a lot of money all the way up their incomes.