American Majority Rejects Washington Austerity Consensus -- And Demands to Be Heard

[Toro]

I am always amazed at how little history republicans, right wingnuts, and other assorted hate government types know. Our best years were after FDR raised taxes to over 70% and used Keynesian ideas to end the great depression. The war effort was the greatest spending spree in history and many worried that war's end would return America to the depression years. But instead America built and bought and shared and continued the high tax structure and we had our golden years of prosperity.

Reagan and Clinton raised taxes, Reagan many times.


"There is no historical evidence that tax cuts spur economic growth. The highest period of growth in U.S. history (1933-1973) also saw its highest tax rates on the rich: 70 to 91 percent. During this period, the general tax rate climbed as well, but it reached a plateau in 1969, and growth slowed down five years later. Almost all rich nations have higher general taxes than the U.S., and they are growing faster as well." Tax cuts spur economic growth


"But the record shows just the opposite. The national rate of job growth during George W. Bush’s tenure was the worst since the government starting counting in 1939....The tax changes didn’t do much for Vermont, either. Job growth so far this decade is worse than any decade since the 1940s. We have fewer jobs today than we had in 2000." Hoffman: Did tax cuts create jobs?

>

It is true that GDP per capita has grown at about the same rate in the US for at least 140 years no matter what level marginal tax rates have been, however it is incorrect to say that "almost all other countries" are growing faster than us. The US has been one of the fastest if not the fastest growing economy of all the developed economies in the world over the past 20, 30, 50 years. America's slow growth over the past decade is because of the collapse of asset bubbles. America has consistently demonstrated high growth in total factor productivity compared to other rich nations, which is what drives wealth creation over the long run. But this has also occurred no matter what the marginal tax rate has been in this country.

 

[Toro]

I am always amazed at how little history republicans, right wingnuts, and other assorted hate government types know. Our best years were after FDR raised taxes to over 70% and used Keynesian ideas to end the great depression. The war effort was the greatest spending spree in history and many worried that war's end would return America to the depression years. But instead America built and bought and shared and continued the high tax structure and we had our golden years of prosperity.

Reagan and Clinton raised taxes, Reagan many times.


"There is no historical evidence that tax cuts spur economic growth. The highest period of growth in U.S. history (1933-1973) also saw its highest tax rates on the rich: 70 to 91 percent. During this period, the general tax rate climbed as well, but it reached a plateau in 1969, and growth slowed down five years later. Almost all rich nations have higher general taxes than the U.S., and they are growing faster as well." Tax cuts spur economic growth


"But the record shows just the opposite. The national rate of job growth during George W. Bush’s tenure was the worst since the government starting counting in 1939....The tax changes didn’t do much for Vermont, either. Job growth so far this decade is worse than any decade since the 1940s. We have fewer jobs today than we had in 2000." Hoffman: Did tax cuts create jobs?

>

I'm sorry, did you say FDR ended the Great Depression? What year did that occur?

The bottom of the Great Depression was March 1933.

 

[Anachronism]

Do Repugs respect the needs and views of the American majority? You be the judges.

Why the hell would ANYONE respect the needs and views of a bunch of people who have elected Barrack Obama, and George W Bush (twice) in the last three Presidential election cycles? The American public is the LAST group of people I'd go to looking for insight on what SHOULD be done to fix this country's problems.

 

[Truthmatters]

Roger Hickey: American Majority Rejects Washington Austerity Consensus -- And Demands to Be Heard

Out in the America, unemployment is back up to 9 percent, but inside the Washington beltway bubble the consensus, driven by conservatives seems to be for austerity. An unholy alliance of pundits, politicians and even reporters -- who differ only in degree -- is insisting on the need to slash Federal spending over the next few months. As we approach the deadline for Congress to raise the debt ceiling, not a hour goes by in the 24 hour cycle without the media interviewing some expert who declares that the deficit is the most important threat facing the country, that tax increases are off the table, and that a severe crisis awaits if the Congress doesn't cut and radically restructure Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

But one voice is missing from this discussion: that of the American Majority.

Occasionally some talking head on TV will acknowledge the almost daily public opinion polling showing conclusively that strong majorities of Americans:

- oppose cutting benefits for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid recipients;

- reject the idea of raising the age of eligibility for these popular programs;

- hate the proposal to turn Medicare into a voucher or privatize Social Security;

- support taxing the rich and corporations to close the deficit and fund needed investment;

- favor cutting military spending for both obsolete weapons systems and current wars;

- and, while acknowledging the need to reduce deficits, place a higher priority on creating jobs and getting the sputtering economy growing.

Rarely in the public discussion are the views of the American majority presented in such a comprehensive way. Instead, some budget expert from Brookings or an honest reporter will nervously interject that "recent polls show Americans may resist taking the medicine," and then the discussion moves on to why austerity is absolutely necessary. Rarely on talk shows or even in serious print news article does anyone challenge the predictable Republican mantra that "We don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem." And, given the consensus that we face a "debt and deficit crisis" that could soon hurt the economy, rarely is anyone allowed to warn that a strong dose of spending cuts might hurt the America's faltering recovery.

Do Repugs respect the needs and views of the American majority? You be the judges.

Nope, that is why they cheat in elections and have a news station that lies to people

 

[Truthmatters]

I am always amazed at how little history republicans, right wingnuts, and other assorted hate government types know. Our best years were after FDR raised taxes to over 70% and used Keynesian ideas to end the great depression. The war effort was the greatest spending spree in history and many worried that war's end would return America to the depression years. But instead America built and bought and shared and continued the high tax structure and we had our golden years of prosperity.

Reagan and Clinton raised taxes, Reagan many times.


"There is no historical evidence that tax cuts spur economic growth. The highest period of growth in U.S. history (1933-1973) also saw its highest tax rates on the rich: 70 to 91 percent. During this period, the general tax rate climbed as well, but it reached a plateau in 1969, and growth slowed down five years later. Almost all rich nations have higher general taxes than the U.S., and they are growing faster as well." Tax cuts spur economic growth


"But the record shows just the opposite. The national rate of job growth during George W. Bush’s tenure was the worst since the government starting counting in 1939....The tax changes didn’t do much for Vermont, either. Job growth so far this decade is worse than any decade since the 1940s. We have fewer jobs today than we had in 2000." Hoffman: Did tax cuts create jobs?

>

I'm sorry, did you say FDR ended the Great Depression? What year did that occur?

The bottom of the Great Depression was March 1933.

Note that all it takes to reverse real history for a con is for some con to claim it has changed.

Thats all the evidence they need to completely reverse the hisotry that millons lived.


The people who LIVED through the great depression loved FDR because they saw in their homes and businesses the recovery.

These guys dont care, to hell with that whole generation of Americans ( you know the people who fought and won the second world war) that lived the hard times and built the recovery with the help of their government.

Those people are dead and these people now feel free to spit on their graves.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

I am always amazed at how little history republicans, right wingnuts, and other assorted hate government types know. Our best years were after FDR raised taxes to over 70% and used Keynesian ideas to end the great depression. The war effort was the greatest spending spree in history and many worried that war's end would return America to the depression years. But instead America built and bought and shared and continued the high tax structure and we had our golden years of prosperity.

Reagan and Clinton raised taxes, Reagan many times.


"There is no historical evidence that tax cuts spur economic growth. The highest period of growth in U.S. history (1933-1973) also saw its highest tax rates on the rich: 70 to 91 percent. During this period, the general tax rate climbed as well, but it reached a plateau in 1969, and growth slowed down five years later. Almost all rich nations have higher general taxes than the U.S., and they are growing faster as well." Tax cuts spur economic growth


"But the record shows just the opposite. The national rate of job growth during George W. Bush’s tenure was the worst since the government starting counting in 1939....The tax changes didn’t do much for Vermont, either. Job growth so far this decade is worse than any decade since the 1940s. We have fewer jobs today than we had in 2000." Hoffman: Did tax cuts create jobs?

>

I'm sorry, did you say FDR ended the Great Depression? What year did that occur?

The bottom of the Great Depression was March 1933.

You mean when Roosevelt went on a cruise and refused to answer Hoover plea to aid the US banking system?

Again, what year did the Great Depression finally end?

 

[Toro]

I'm sorry, did you say FDR ended the Great Depression? What year did that occur?

The bottom of the Great Depression was March 1933.

Note that all it takes to reverse real history for a con is for some con to claim it has changed.

Thats all the evidence they need to completely reverse the hisotry that millons lived.


The people who LIVED through the great depression loved FDR because they saw in their homes and businesses the recovery.

These guys dont care, to hell with that whole generation of Americans ( you know the people who fought and won the second world war) that lived the hard times and built the recovery with the help of their government.

Those people are dead and these people now feel free to spit on their graves.

FDR was sworn in on April 1933.

 

[Toro]

I'm sorry, did you say FDR ended the Great Depression? What year did that occur?

The bottom of the Great Depression was March 1933.

You mean when Roosevelt went on a cruise and refused to answer Hoover plea to aid the US banking system?

Again, what year did the Great Depression finally end?

You mean when that massive government program called "war" got the unemployment rate down to 2%, with all that massive government spending, huge deficits, price fixing and rationing? Is that what you mean?

 

[blastoff]

It all goes back to the same basic issues. Those on the right think we can fix everything by cutting spending without raising taxes. Those on the left think we should just raise taxes. And the only logical solution is that we do some of both. But, until those on the far right and left leave fantasy island and join the real world again, things will just continue on the same path.

How much higher to taxes need to be before we admit that we don't have a revenue problem and that we have a spending problem?

Waaaay too high of math for Democrats.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

It all goes back to the same basic issues. Those on the right think we can fix everything by cutting spending without raising taxes. Those on the left think we should just raise taxes. And the only logical solution is that we do some of both. But, until those on the far right and left leave fantasy island and join the real world again, things will just continue on the same path.

How much higher to taxes need to be before we admit that we don't have a revenue problem and that we have a spending problem?

Waaaay too high of math for Democrats.

They will not be happy until they are confiscating 100% of YOUR money... then it will still be a revenue issue for them.

 

[Robert]

I'm sorry, did you say FDR ended the Great Depression? What year did that occur?

The bottom of the Great Depression was March 1933.

Note that all it takes to reverse real history for a con is for some con to claim it has changed.

Thats all the evidence they need to completely reverse the hisotry that millons lived.


The people who LIVED through the great depression loved FDR because they saw in their homes and businesses the recovery.

These guys dont care, to hell with that whole generation of Americans ( you know the people who fought and won the second world war) that lived the hard times and built the recovery with the help of their government.

Those people are dead and these people now feel free to spit on their graves.

People have told you you're an idiot right?

 

[Contumacious]

Do Repugs respect the needs and views of the American majority? You be the judges.

Why the hell would ANYONE respect the needs and views of a bunch of people who have elected Barrack Obama, and George W Bush (twice) in the last three Presidential election cycles? The American public is the LAST group of people I'd go to looking for insight on what SHOULD be done to fix this country's problems.

Because we are no longer a Constitutional Republic. We are now an Aristocracy Of Pull - Majority rule.

.

 

[Avatar4321]

I am flabbergasted that anyone can claim that a nation that brings in more than 2.2 Trillion dollars has a revenue problem.

 

[Contumacious]

I am flabbergasted that anyone can claim that a nation that brings in more than 2.2 Trillion dollars has a revenue problem.

The welfare/warfare state has a voracious appetite.

.

.

 

[P F Tinmore]

$2.3 trillion missing from the pentagon. 1/4 of our money going to the pentagon goes missing every year. $1.1 trillion missing from HUD. And the list goes on.

Why isn't anyone mentioning plugging these leaks?

 

[P F Tinmore]

How about all that money and interest we owe to the Fed when it should not be involved with our money at all?

 

[Toro]

How about all that money and interest we owe to the Fed when it should not be involved with our money at all?

"We" own the Fed. The Fed kicks back $40 billion each year to the Treasury.

And no, don't post some dummy's opinion that the government doesn't own the Fed.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

The bottom of the Great Depression was March 1933.

Note that all it takes to reverse real history for a con is for some con to claim it has changed.

Thats all the evidence they need to completely reverse the hisotry that millons lived.


The people who LIVED through the great depression loved FDR because they saw in their homes and businesses the recovery.

These guys dont care, to hell with that whole generation of Americans ( you know the people who fought and won the second world war) that lived the hard times and built the recovery with the help of their government.

Those people are dead and these people now feel free to spit on their graves.

People have told you you're an idiot right?

Hundreds of times... I know I never miss an opportunity to tell TM hos dumb she is.

 

[Robert]

Note that all it takes to reverse real history for a con is for some con to claim it has changed.

Thats all the evidence they need to completely reverse the hisotry that millons lived.


The people who LIVED through the great depression loved FDR because they saw in their homes and businesses the recovery.

These guys dont care, to hell with that whole generation of Americans ( you know the people who fought and won the second world war) that lived the hard times and built the recovery with the help of their government.

Those people are dead and these people now feel free to spit on their graves.

People have told you you're an idiot right?

Hundreds of times... I know I never miss an opportunity to tell TM hos dumb she is.

Thank God I was starting to wonder

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

People have told you you're an idiot right?

Hundreds of times... I know I never miss an opportunity to tell TM hos dumb she is.

Thank God I was starting to wonder

Seriously, there is something colossally amiss with that one. I've actually urged her to seek help.