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.

[scotty]

The taxes from the rich wont come close to paying down half the debt.

Government can not invest in economic growth !!!!!!! Geez people, why can't the libs get this?? He has tried this, prez's before him have tried. Government can not 'create' businesses, job growth, economic growth, etc. Its not their job. Can you say Solyndra, oh and how about that battery plant built on millions of taxpayers dollars that has yet to produce a single battery.

Uggh, the lack of simple economic understanding among you libs would be laughable if it weren't so pathetically sad.

[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.

[High & Low]

Here's a balanced approach.....stop spending more than you take in. You wanna create more revenue for the government? ....lower taxes and LET the private sector create for you more revenue....the government pulled in the most revenue ever in 2007. When Bush's tax cuts were fully implemented, Government revenue increased every year, until the financial fall in 2008...2008 was just a dip lower than 2007. ...Quit spending.

[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.

[deacon blues]

A 100% tax rate on all those that make $10 million or more would only generate $240 billion. Of course you can't take 100% of their money, so we're talking a very small amount of money. So whats the point of raising taxes on the rich if its futile?

[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.