Change? Can we afford it?

[Navy1960]

Quite right. A military career is just the thing.

One place where young people can still find opportunity for advancement, a fairly decent job with training and best of all?

Socialized medicine

And all one need do is become one of the henchmen and woman in service to the US empire.

But what of the peons, the ones which the Empire no longer needs? The unemployed and unemployable because free trade has made them redudant?

Well, They can just die, can't they?

Exerpt from A Christmas Carol

Let me see edit, I won't dignify most fo your comments on the Military except to say that, the dedicated men and women of the Military do a tough job that not many would rush to do. They work hard each and every day guarding the very same freedoms the world over that you and I are exercising at this very moment. Many have given their lives doing just that over the years. I would venture to say, that if you asked most Military people you would not get the "Empire Building" answer. You would get a deep sense of duty, honor, and serving a cause greater than themselves.

As for your other comments, I will say this, the United States was built on the notion that you can be ANYTHING you want to be as long as you WORK hard enough to get it. It's as true today as it was over 200 years ago when this country was founded. The trouble today is, that a few would rather not continue this American tradition and would rather their government be the answer to every single problem in life, health, a home, a job. Well it's time some of those realized that government is not there to provide all those things to everyone. If people that advocate that , want it so badly, there are several other nations on the Earth that do operate that way. China, North Korea, and Cuba comes to mind.

On the socialized medicine comment in the Military, let me say this, as I was pointing out to someone else. When you look for a job, no matter what that may be you look for one based on what your priorities are. The US Military offers great medical benefits to it's servicemen/women and always has. However, each person in the Military that is doing a damn fine job I might add, works hard for that benefit as someone in the civilian world works hard for theirs should they sign up for it when an employer offers it.

 

[sealybobo]

Lehman declared bankruptsy this morning, ya know.

The Fed says they're not going to bail them out.

AIG, a massive insurence company looks to be in serious trouble, too.

What's that smell in the air folks?

Its the smell of panic in the Banking industry, methinks

tick tock!

Don't you find it ironic that

1. The same companies that helped foreign companies dodge paying taxes here in America are now collapsing?

2. That the American voters do not blame the GOP and would possibly vote the GOP back into power when they are the ones that deregulated these industries.

PS. Back in 2003 or 2004, I told people that the GOP via the House Ways & Means committee met to take away tax breaks to companies going overseas but ended up giving them MORE tax breaks. REpublicans argued with me and asked me to prove it. I guess now I don't need to prove it:

Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers and other Wall Street giants helped foreign investors dodge billions of dollars in U.S. taxes on stock dividends while the IRS looked the other way, a Senate investigation found.

The firms worked with shell hedge funds that had little more than offshore mailing addresses in the Cayman Islands and elsewhere. The funds arranged complex equity swaps and stock loans aimed at circumventing U.S. tax laws, a staff report by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said.

The IRS has neither enforced existing rules prohibiting the transactions nor tried to draft new standards, the 77-page report said.

“These are gimmicks peddled by American financial institutions to deny Uncle Sam taxes owed under our law,” Senator Carl Levin, who heads the panel, told reporters. “The IRS has pussyfooted on this.”

Morgan Stanley enabled foreign clients to avoid payment of more than $300 million in U.S. dividend taxes from 2000 to 2007. (THE SAME TIME THE REPUBLICANS RAN ALL THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT)

Lehman estimated its customer’s eluded payment of as much $115 million in 2004 alone.

UBS helped clients escape payment of $62 million from 2004 to 2007.

 

[Skull Pilot]

The republicans (who run on cutting spending) seem to have a worse record on budgeting than democrats.

There's other sources if youdon't like that, I just grabbed this one as one of the first hits.

I think people 'don't see debt' but it is an invisible tax that grows and grows. The democrats seem more fiscally reposnisible, certainly since 1970.

I didn't qualify the statement. every president has made government bigger and more expensive and will continue to do so as long as we let them.

 

[clazona]

Firstly, we went into iraq out of fear (no wmd as it turns out) and you are advocating staying there - again out of fear.

Second, we could pull out most of the troops and maintain intelligence and a presence and communications and so on. Getting out is not the end of the story, it is not cut and run, it is part of a strategy with the same goal as we have now, creating a stable iraq.

Obama claims that removing troops (1-2 brigades per month) is his best judgment as to how to meet that goal.

The Iraqi government and even Bush are opting into this strategy.

The only one who isn't talking about troop withdrawals is McCain and Palin. THey are more interested in sounding tough than in sounding forward-thinking.

​

At least we got rid of Saddam Hussein. Imagine if Britian and France did the same thing to Hitler as he rose to power during the 1930s, they would have prevented the horrors of WWII. We didn't give Hussein that chance to repeat history. Too bad that we had to stay there to form a new government. Talk about a plunder. If we could put all the blame in the world, it should be Saddam. He should have taken the offer to leave the country of Iraq. Instead, he gambled and it cost him his life. Good riddance to him.

 

[Chris]

Quite right. A military career is just the thing.

One place where young people can still find opportunity for advancement, a fairly decent job with training and best of all?

Socialized medicine

And all one need do is become one of the henchmen and woman in service to the US empire.

But what of the peons, the ones which the Empire no longer needs? The unemployed and unemployable because free trade has made them redudant?

Well, They can just die, can't they?

Exerpt from A Christmas Carol

Ouch!

Editec nails another government sugar teet suckler!

 

[Caligirl]

​

At least we got rid of Saddam Hussein. Imagine if Britian and France did the same thing to Hitler as he rose to power during the 1930s, they would have prevented the horrors of WWII. We didn't give Hussein that chance to repeat history. Too bad that we had to stay there to form a new government. Talk about a plunder. If we could put all the blame in the world, it should be Saddam. He should have taken the offer to leave the country of Iraq. Instead, he gambled and it cost him his life. Good riddance to him.

Why is Hussein the bogeyman? Why not Castro, Chavez, Kim jong-il, Putin, Akhmadinejad, or any number of other 'threats?'

Shall we save the world from these guys too? How selfless of us!

 

[Modbert]

Why is Hussein the bogeyman? Why not Castro, Chavez, Kim jong-il, Putin, Akhmadinejad, or any number of other 'threats?'

Shall we save the world from these guys too? How selfless of us!

For people like Bush and Cheney, it's easy to commit troops to these areas considering it's not their children going to war.

 

[Caligirl]

Sounds cynical.

I think that they went to war in Iraq because everyone thought Iraq would be a pushover, which just goes to show the average american don't know much about foreign countries, and Palin has no place in the white house!

 

[AllieBaba]

Sounds cynical.

I think that they went to war in Iraq because everyone thought Iraq would be a pushover, which just goes to show the average american don't know much about foreign countries, and Palin has no place in the white house!

We should all take a page from your book, since you apparently are so well versed!

 

[Modbert]

Sounds cynical.

I think that they went to war in Iraq because everyone thought Iraq would be a pushover, which just goes to show the average american don't know much about foreign countries, and Palin has no place in the white house!

It's the truth. You would never see either of their daughters over there.

Nobody in the Bush Administration has served time in the Military. Yet they are involving us in the biggest amount of warfare since Vietnam if not going back to World War II.

I don't think you need to be in the Military to be president but they certainly have no common sense on Strategy, Long-Term Planning, Economies, and fighting Guerrilla warfare.

 

[Caligirl]

We should all take a page from your book, since you apparently are so well versed!

As you no doubt suspect my book has too few pages to begin with.

btw your passion is one of your obvious strengths and I identify with it.

 

[Caligirl]

It's the truth. You would never see either of their daughters over there.

Nobody in the Bush Administration has served time in the Military. Yet they are involving us in the biggest amount of warfare since Vietnam if not going back to World War II.

I don't think you need to be in the Military to be president but they certainly have no common sense on Strategy, Long-Term Planning, Economies, and fighting Guerrilla warfare.

By this argument we have nothing to worry about from a McCain administration in terms of new wars.

 

[Modbert]

By this argument we have nothing to worry about from a McCain administration in terms of new wars.

Untrue, as McCain despite having served in the Military himself is going to follow the same policies as the Bush Administration.

He doesn't even know the difference between the terrorists and what countries even border Iraq. (Unless Joe Lieberman is there to correct him.)

Other then McCain's time as a POW, his record has things including:

He was 894th out of 899th in his class.
He crashed something like five planes in 8 years.

(Note before any members of the GOP start foaming from the mouth; I am not discrediting John McCain's record. I am just stating the facts)

John McCain has no withdrawal plan (therefore no long-term planning except saying we'll be out of Iraq by 2013 which is right about the time he would be running for reelection.)

John McCain has no sense of what is right for the economy in this country, never mind Iraq.

I honestly believe if McCain is elected, we will be at war with either Iran or Russia by the end of his first four year term.

(Though that's if we even have elections this year. Bush's "October Surprise" for America could be bombing Iran, declaring Martial Law, and making himself a Dictator.)

 

[Caligirl]

I honestly believe if McCain is elected, we will be at war with either Iran or Russia by the end of his first four year term.

Then there's no point moaning that the reason Bush was bad was because he has no military experience.

If the wars are wrong argue it on the merits (or lack) of the war, not on the CIC's personal bias.

Just my opinion.

 

[jreeves]

but Reeves, what did things like the bloated Medicare Pill Bill and no child left behind and a fence that will only cover 1/20th of the border, and tax cuts primarily for the wealthiest have to do with Terrorism? I can understand that the money towards Iraq could be promoted as such but these other things....i really can't....

And yes, spending has to cut!!! And neither side seems to have the wisdom to do such.

We both know I think the Pill Bill was a stupid piece of legislation since it has about 8 trillion dollars in unfunded liabilities. I am glad that Mccain voted against the Pill bill, even though the Republicans in Congress as well as a lot of Democrats in the House supported the bill. Care you can hardly say that NCLB was solely supported by Republicans, since the bill was authored by Democrats Kennedy and George Miller. The border fence is an attempt to eliminate these kinds of costs....
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY6t2ckpb5g]YouTube - Cost of Illegal Immigration[/ame]


As far as the 'Bush Tax Cuts' tax revenue increased.

 

[Care4all]

We both know I think the Pill Bill was a stupid piece of legislation since it has about 8 trillion dollars in unfunded liabilities. I am glad that Mccain voted against the Pill bill, even though the Republicans in Congress as well as a lot of Democrats in the House supported the bill. Care you can hardly say that NCLB was solely supported by Republicans, since the bill was authored by Democrats Kennedy and George Miller. The border fence is an attempt to eliminate these kinds of costs....
YouTube - Cost of Illegal Immigration


As far as the 'Bush Tax Cuts' tax revenue increased.

if you look at it closely, it took several years to bring us back to the tax revenues we were collecting in 2000 reeves....UNTIL 2005 before we got to 2000's level of revenue intake.....

which IS NOT A very strong case for you to make...saying the tax revenues increased from the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 reeves...4/5 years of a revenue shortfall.....thus the huge, huge amounts added to our national debt and we still have not made up that 4 years of shortfall in revenues with the increase in revenues they are finally getting now.

Also, JUST naturally, tax revenues increase every year with our economy growing, so who knows if the tax cuts hadn't been taken how much money they would have been collecting by 2005 on its own natural course.....?

Borrowing all of this money from foreigners is a TAX INCREASE on all of us with the devaluation of the dollar....and higher oil price increases for us Americans due to it....

Just ponder on that for a little bit....

Care

 

[dilloduck]

if you look at it closely, it took several years to bring us back to the tax revenues we were collecting in 2000 reeves....UNTIL 2005 before we got to 2000's level of revenue intake.....

which IS NOT A very strong case for you to make...saying the tax revenues increased from the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 reeves...4/5 years of a revenue shortfall.....thus the huge, huge amounts added to our national debt and we still have not made up that 4 years of shortfall in revenues with the increase in revenues they are finally getting now.

Also, JUST naturally, tax revenues increase every year with our economy growing, so who knows if the tax cuts hadn't been taken how much money they would have been collecting by 2005 on its own natural course.....?

Borrowing all of this money from foreigners is a TAX INCREASE on all of us with the devaluation of the dollar....and higher oil price increases for us Americans due to it....

Just ponder on that for a little bit....

Care

and drilling for our OWN oil is a bad idea because ?

 

[Care4all]

and drilling for our OWN oil is a bad idea because ?

What does that question have to do with tax revenues and tax cuts dillo?

Care

 

[jreeves]

sorry... that's hysterical... so because THIS year the deficit will reach a record 490 BILLION dollars you'd like to lay that all at the feet of the Dems, who've have had control ON PAPER but not real control since they don't actually have 60 seats needed to end the filibuster happy Repubs blockage of everything.

good one...

Democrats have controlled this country's legislation for the past two years and the result is the largest budget deficit in our nation's history. Here's a few landmark pieces of legislation from this historical Congress.
Congress lives up to 'do nothing' label : In Our Opinion : gosanangelo.com
When it broke for its August recess, Congress had passed only 294 laws, the fewest at this point of any Congress in the last 20 years. Out of those, 81 named post offices.

To some people, that relative inactivity might not be such a bad thing for the country. After all, if Congress isn't doing anything, it can't cause more harm.

But Congress does need to do something, especially since it must pass 10 appropriations bills to fund the operations of the federal government.

Passage of these bills is Congress' main order of business, in fact, almost its whole purpose.

Congress is supposed to pass those bills before the end of the federal fiscal year, Sept. 30, but no one's betting on it. Some of them may not get passed until the start of 2009.

However, Congress has not been totally idle. According to the non-partisan watchdogs over at Taxpayers for Common Sense, the lawmakers have introduced a total of 1,932 resolutions. The staff picked a few of their favorites.
One would recognize dirt - the language of the resolution actually says "soil" - as "an essential natural resource." Hard to quarrel with that.

Other resolutions would declare July as National Watermelon Month, May as Idaho Potato Month and June 30 as National Corvette Day. Still another would declare support for designating a National Funeral Director and Mortician Day.

None of this is all that surprising to Americans who are paying attention to Congress. Basically, this information confirms what most of us suspected.

 

[dilloduck]

What does that question have to do with tax revenues and tax cuts dillo?

Care

nm