Obama Voters: What Should The Prez Do About Econ?

[deacon blues]

I think I can safely say we all agree that a deeper US debt is going to destroy our economy eventually. We know that the conservative opinion is to lower taxes on everyone so that individuals keep more of their hard earned money and use it to fuel economic growth. The conservative view is also to cut government spending by changing Medicare, the biggest driver of the entitlement spending, for people 55 and under in order to make it solvent. Other government spending cuts would cover a lot of waste and areas that are nice to have but aren't essential services.

What is the liberal plan? What is the president going to do? What should he do?

[Dedicated Mind]

tax the rich. end the wars. use half to pay down the debt and half to invest and spur economic growth. some spending cuts to defense. reform medicare. that is what won. a balanced approach.

[High & Low]

Originally Posted by Dedicated Mind

tax the rich. end the wars. use half to pay down the debt and half to invest and spur economic growth. some spending cuts to defense. reform medicare. that is what won. a balanced approach.

The money we are using for war isn't even ours...we're borrowing it...so we will not have that money to spend. And taxing the rich doesn't even come close to paying down jack ......... Reform medicare? Obamacare is Obama's medicare reform and it's a disaster.

Why can't people understand trickle down economics? It's common sense, yet the demon crats have brainwashed ppl into believing that's what got us in the mess we are in. Obama demonizes trickle down and promotes "build from the middle class out" or "build from the bottom up"....You can't build from the bottom up because the bottom doesn't have anything to build from....the poor can't create jobs. The middle class isn't the middle class without the top supplying the jobs. You take away more money from job creators, then you take away the incentive to grow. The best way to grow the private sector is to leave the money in the private sector. best put is a quote from Reagan (I think)....Liberalism is a disease, common sense is the cure.

[trialedbyfire]

Originally Posted by Dedicated Mind

tax the rich. end the wars. use half to pay down the debt and half to invest and spur economic growth. some spending cuts to defense. reform medicare. that is what won. a balanced approach.

In other words here's what you just said without liberal spin:

-take peoples money.
-leave the middle east (but continue to fund the building of schools and ........ in nations that hate us)
-give the money to welfare
-cut military and veterans benefits so we'll be on food stamps too
-socialize the health care system.

Yeup sounds like Obama's agenda more or less, we'll see if that doesn't end us up like Greece or Spain.

[canam]

resign

[Jermyn Davidson]

I agree with the President's plan to increase the tax rate on the wealthiest American citizens.

I agree with the GOP consensus that government spending has to be cut too.

I know that the DOD can trim some fat off their budget, but it shouldn't be trimmed from the areas that directly affect troops. There is A LOT of waste and inefficiency within the DOD and it really needs to be addressed.

Afghanistan is winnable, but we need a new strategy, a bold shift on a different direction from where we're headed now and the Federal government must become more efficient with the money spent ISO of OEF and the GWOT.

I know that there are some entitlement programs that are enjoyed by congressmen and women that could be trimmed. Why is it that my party never brings up the idea of trimming the fat from their own pay and benefits?

There is fat to be trimmed from the Federal employee side of the house as well. At this point, I would suggest a hiring freeze for all non-essential Federal government positions. I would seek efficiency with the Federal government before eliminating agencies and thus jobs.

Programs that assist the sick, the poor, and the elderly should be analyzed so that fraud and waste is eliminated-- but these groups shouldn't bear the brunt of our economic crisis and I wouldn't want any services that are currently provided to be eliminated unless it was absolutely necessaary and frankly, I don't think it is necessary to throw Mama from the train or to let sick people die early.

An economic scalpel is needed, not a machete.

[trialedbyfire]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

I agree with the President's plan to increase the tax rate on the wealthiest American citizens.

I don't believe that taking more money from people who are well off is the solution to America's problems, I just don't.

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

I agree with the GOP consensus that government spending has to be cut too.

That will never happen under Obama.

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

I know that the DOD can trim some fat off their budget, but it shouldn't be trimmed from the areas that directly affect troops. There is A LOT of waste and inefficiency within the DOD and it really needs to be addressed.

Afghanistan is winnable, but we need a new strategy, a bold shift on a different direction from where we're headed now and the Federal government must become more efficient with the money spent ISO of OEF and the GWOT.

This is where we agree and differ at the same time. I believe in having a strong, large, technologically advanced, well maintained military. However I would agree that there are waists but would rather see that money reallocated back to the military for the purpose of maintaining a healthy and strong military then just simply cut for the budgets sake.

As for Afghanistan, believe it or not I'm against keeping the troops there and would support immediate withdrawal (that's the Paulite in me). Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-war I supported the decision to go in and wipe out any threat to us and I strongly believe in preemptive strike, but nation building is not my thing.

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

I know that there are some entitlement programs that are enjoyed by congressmen and women that could be trimmed. Why is it that my party never brings up the idea of trimming the fat from their own pay and benefits?

Because in the long run cutting their pay does nothing to help the economy and only serves as a class-warfare distraction and the idea throws support behind the theory that all rich people are bad and that people who work for their money should be punished for having money. And yes congressmen and other federal employees work and serve their nation. Every single one of them/us. Being a congressman is a stressful job and sometimes dangerous. People assassinate congressmen and public officials. People attack them. Their sole living is earned by their service to the federal government which is a high constitutional order and a stressful service. I serve my nation in a different capacity and I chose to serve my nation in that capacity understanding the benefits, pros, cons, draw-backs and in-betweens. We all work for our living and have a right to what we earn. Those who do not work... well you've read the Bible... that's kinda my attitude toward that.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by trialedbyfire

In other words here's what you just said without liberal spin:

-take peoples money.
-leave the middle east (but continue to fund the building of schools and ........ in nations that hate us)
-give the money to welfare
-cut military and veterans benefits so we'll be on food stamps too
-socialize the health care system.

Yeup sounds like Obama's agenda more or less, we'll see if that doesn't end us up like Greece or Spain.

Here's my take on it...

-take peoples money. (The rich have too many shelters and don't pay their fair share.)-leave the middle east (but continue to fund the building of schools and ........ in nations that hate us) ((I'd rather educate them today in the hopes of not having to bomb them tomorrow)).
-give the money to welfare (State issue)
-cut military and veterans benefits so we'll be on food stamps too (Nope.)
-socialize the health care system. (It's already socialized. Why do you think our premiums are so high??? We're paying for uninsured people who walk into the ER, or doctor's office, and don't pay ANYTHING).

On health care... the ONLY way to have a truly "free market" health care system is to turn away those who can't pay. Period. You can't give out a product or service to all and have only a portion of people paying for it. The costs will rise exponentially until no one can afford it. Imagine if an automobile dealership ran it's business the way American medicine is managed. We have an ER for people who need a car. They don't have the money to pay for the car but we give it to them anyway and bill them. What would happen to the price of cars??? The price would rise until no one could afford one. Duh!!!

Deny health care services to people who don't have insurance or who are unable to pay. Or... make EVERYONE pay into the system.

[scotty]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Here's my take on it...

leave the middle east (but continue to fund the building of schools and ........ in nations that hate us) ((I'd rather educate them today in the hopes of not having to bomb them tomorrow)).

This is assuming you truly believe the education they get will be US friendly.

Originally Posted by Aquila

Duh!!!

I have noticed you using this little three letter word for " how could you be so stupid" a lot lately. Its very unbecoming and beneath you.

Originally Posted by Aquila

Deny health care services to people who don't have insurance or who are unable to pay. Or... make EVERYONE pay into the system.

But EVERYONE still will not be paying into the system, that is the problem, its still not a fair fix.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by scotty

This is assuming you truly believe the education they get will be US friendly.

True, one can only hope.


I have noticed you using this little three letter word for " how could you be so stupid" a lot lately. Its very unbecoming and beneath you.
[/INDENT]
Sorry, I'm just a bit upset with how so many THINK we have free market health care without national insurance programs. Until they turn people away from ERs who don't have cash or insurance... it's not free market.

But EVERYONE still will not be paying into the system, that is the problem, its still not a fair fix.

Ah... yes... However, far MORE would be paying into the system than are now, especially under a single payer model. Slowly, we could find a way to make everyone accept the homeless man sleeping in a park pay something towards the system. Even a portion of a person's unemployment check or welfare check could be alotted to pay into the system.

Until we either go single payer or deny those without the means to pay... we're all going to pay ever increasing premiums to cover an ever increasing number of those who don't pay anything.