The Reality of Gov't. Deficits

[Odysseus]

America’s political landscape is infested with many zombie ideas — beliefs about policy that have been repeatedly refuted with evidence and analysis but refuse to die. The most prominent zombie is the insistence that low taxes on rich people are the key to prosperity. But there are others.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/op...R_AP_LO_MST_FB

[Cito Pelon]

Originally Posted by pricejj

Did you miss the memo that both Democrats and Republicans agree that the deficit needs to be closed (for reasons that are obviously over your head)?

So why are you constantly complaining Dems don't "get it"?

[pricejj]

Originally Posted by Cito Pelon

So why are you constantly complaining Dems don't "get it"?

Saying the deficit needs to be closed, and doing it are two different things.

Obama's only plan is to raise tax rates about 5% on "rich" people, and let the rate cut to SS expire. That would only generate $82B + whatever is generated from the SS rate increase. When in reality, letting the "fiscal cliff" happen is the only way to start getting revenues high enough to pay for his level of spending. That's his dirty littly secret, that most Americans don't understand.

So why don't we all just shut up, and pay the same tax rates we did during the Clinton years? Well it's not that simple. For starters, wages have dropped, and prices have drastically increased. Second, even with a major tax increase...we'd still be running a $700B-$800B deficit, and would be squarely in another recession.

The problem is, the U.S. economy isn't growing, and hasn't been growing since 2000. We are in the decline. Outsourcing is destroying American jobs, and has been since the dot com bust. The only way to fix it, is to fundamentally change the attitude of American business going forward. We will never get those jobs back. Unfortunately, none of this is being talked about in the Mexican Standoff going on Capitol Hill.

[Arkie]

Originally Posted by Jetmeck

Bill Clinton agrees ...... simple math and don't blame the black guy for problems created by the good ole boy....ok ?

The problems were created under every President since FDR. Every one of these 13 Presidents put us further in the red. Truman, Ike, and Clinton may have had some surplus years, but not enough to equal their deficit years. Nice race-bait, btw

[Requiem]

Then start putting excessive regulations and levy heavy fines for United States businesses who outsource their job overseas to increase their profits, while pissing on the backs of every worker.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

[Odysseus]

Bernie Sanders speaks the truth.

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by pricejj

Saying the deficit needs to be closed, and doing it are two different things.

Obama's only plan is to raise tax rates about 5% on "rich" people, and let the rate cut to SS expire. That would only generate $82B + whatever is generated from the SS rate increase. When in reality, letting the "fiscal cliff" happen is the only way to start getting revenues high enough to pay for his level of spending. That's his dirty littly secret, that most Americans don't understand.

So why don't we all just shut up, and pay the same tax rates we did during the Clinton years? Well it's not that simple. For starters, wages have dropped, and prices have drastically increased. Second, even with a major tax increase...we'd still be running a $700B-$800B deficit, and would be squarely in another recession.

The problem is, the U.S. economy isn't growing, and hasn't been growing since 2000. We are in the decline. Outsourcing is destroying American jobs, and has been since the dot com bust. The only way to fix it, is to fundamentally change the attitude of American business going forward. We will never get those jobs back. Unfortunately, none of this is being talked about in the Mexican Standoff going on Capitol Hill.

What do you think of tax breaks or incentives for companies to create jobs for American workers?

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Then start putting excessive regulations and levy heavy fines for United States businesses who outsource their job overseas to increase their profits, while pissing on the backs of every worker.

What if we provided the companies tax breaks or incentives? What do you think about this idea?

[houghtam]

It's not real money.

We're not Greece.

We're not Zimbabwe.

We're the USA, and we're one of 2 or 3 countries in the world that could completely sustain ourselves on our own resources, if we needed to.

Considering that every other nation in the world depends on our economy to survive, something tells me there's no need to worry.

[TonyR]

Originally Posted by pricejj

Didn't vote for any of those guys...

GWB must have been elected by immaculate election since apparently nobody voted for him. Miracles do happen. God bless us, every one.

[Odysseus]

Did anyone actually watch the video?

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by houghtam

It's not real money.

We're not Greece.

We're not Zimbabwe.

We're the USA, and we're one of 2 or 3 countries in the world that could completely sustain ourselves on our own resources, if we needed to.

Considering that every other nation in the world depends on our economy to survive, something tells me there's no need to worry.

Despite being "able" to sustain ourselves on our own resources we have commitments to keep. It would be like Colorado deciding to shut off the Colorado river and starving poor California out.

[houghtam]

Originally Posted by Odysseus

Despite being "able" to sustain ourselves on our own resources we have commitments to keep. It would be like Colorado deciding to shut off the Colorado river and starving poor California out.

Never said we didn't have commitments to keep. I'm simply saying that some are more important than others. If we know that we're not playing with real money, then we can do things like put a priority on people's health rather than making money.

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by houghtam

Never said we didn't have commitments to keep. I'm simply saying that some are more important than others. If we know that we're not playing with real money, then we can do things like put a priority on people's health rather than making money.

The problem with globalism is we keep selling out our own best interests when, as you've stated, we do not need to.

The problem is corporations are not held to the standards as common citizens how exactly do put American profits ahead of corporate profits?

[Drek]

Originally Posted by Odysseus

The problem with globalism is we keep selling out our own best interests when, as you've stated, we do not need to.

The problem is corporations are not held to the standards as common citizens how exactly do put American profits ahead of corporate profits?

Taxation.

Simplified corporate tax rates of 25%, no exceptions but one. That exception is a 1% reduction in your tax rate for every 1% of your work force, subs, and suppliers are U.S. citizens, companies, etc.

Employ U.S. citizens and buy your materials from only U.S. companies and you pay 0% taxes. Outsource all your manufacturing to China via FoxCon like Apple chooses to do and those 50,000 Chinese workers are weighted against the ~2,000 U.S. citizens you employ. End result you pay damn near full freight.

Simple solution to a complex problem. Hell, even for budget hawks that would be a big win, as corporate taxes make up on 6% of government revenue due to existing loop holes and subsidies.

[Arkie]

Originally Posted by houghtam

It's not real money.

What a relief! That's one less thing I have to worry about. I was beginning to think they would raise our taxes. Since the money isn't real, does that mean the interest isn't real either?

[houghtam]

Originally Posted by Arkie

What a relief! That's one less thing I have to worry about. I was beginning to think they would raise our taxes. Since the money isn't real, does that mean the interest isn't real either?

Pretty much.

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by Drek

Taxation.

Simplified corporate tax rates of 25%, no exceptions but one. That exception is a 1% reduction in your tax rate for every 1% of your work force, subs, and suppliers are U.S. citizens, companies, etc.

Employ U.S. citizens and buy your materials from only U.S. companies and you pay 0% taxes. Outsource all your manufacturing to China via FoxCon like Apple chooses to do and those 50,000 Chinese workers are weighted against the ~2,000 U.S. citizens you employ. End result you pay damn near full freight.

Simple solution to a complex problem. Hell, even for budget hawks that would be a big win, as corporate taxes make up on 6% of government revenue due to existing loop holes and subsidies.

It would be nice if common sense were common.