What Now?

[AmyNation]

A major turning point in that America voted to keep everything exactly the same.

...

K. Maybe a majority of Americans feel that giving the president and the congress a second chance at compromise is better than flipping everything like last time. Or perhaps they simply thought the other guy was sub-par.

 

[kiwiman127]

Barack Obama has won a second term. In addition, the GOP was obliterated in the Senate. In an election where the Republicans should have picked up seats and even the majority, the GOP actually lost seats.

There will be a lot of finger pointing with the democrats helpfully suggesting a sharp turn to the left for the GOP. This should ring hollow as left of center candidates Scott Brown and Mitt Romney both went down to defeat.I can't predict what the GOP will do, other than to say that whatever it is, it will not be rational.

But what does this mean to most Americans? Simply more of the same. We will continue to have high unemployment, with the numbers to be adjusted back above 8% within weeks, now that the election is over. Continued GDP decline, with paltry 1.2% growth rates falling substantially below population growth. Real wealth for Americans in totality will continue to decline, as it has for the past 4 years.

The American middle class will continue it's rapid decline, as the private sector continues to fall. Public Employees will continue to be a elite class that is further and further removed from the public they rule over. Real income for private sector, middle class Americans will continue to decline sharply, as will home values for those who have not lost homes to foreclosure.

This is the first generation in American history that will see our children with less wealth and less opportunity than we had. As open borders dilute the American workforce further, with unskilled and uneducated masses from the third world, the economic prowess of America will continue it's breakneck decline.

America is entering a very tough time, with the next four years promising to usher in radical changes in the lifestyles that most take for granted.

It's nighttime in America.

Romney closed the gap when he moved back to his roots, the center.
If the GOP has any hope of gaining power, they have to appeal to the center. I think the far right shot it's wad in 2010 and are now becoming flaccid.

 

[Uncensored2008]

A major turning point in that America voted to keep everything exactly the same.

Ah, that's the "Hopey changey" same?

K. Maybe a majority of Americans feel that giving the president and the congress a second chance at compromise is better than flipping everything like last time. Or perhaps they simply thought the other guy was sub-par.

This election was a referendum on whether to continue to path of Obama (also Greece, but that's another subject) or return to the traditional economic and social model. A dependent America that cedes liberty for government stewardship is what we are continuing.

 

[g5000]

The United States of America is one budget bill away from its return to greatness.


The Fiscal Cliff™ will do wonders for concentrating the minds of our legislators. The rich will have their taxes raised, the defense budget will have $500 million trimmed over ten years, entitlement programs will have three or four trillion trimmed over the same period. The stock market will jump for joy, rainbows will sparkle over the Capitol, and everyone will get better cable reception.

We still need to raise the retirement age, though. You can only kick that can down the road for so long.

.

 

[Uncensored2008]

The United States of America is one budget bill away from its return to greatness.

There will be no budgets for at least 4 years.

The Fiscal Cliff™ will do wonders for concentrating the minds of our legislators. The rich will have their taxes raised, the defense budget will have $500 million trimmed over ten years, entitlement programs will have three or four trillion trimmed over the same period. The stock market will jump for joy, rainbows will sparkle over the Capitol, and everyone will get better cable reception.

We still need to raise the retirement age, though. You can only kick that can down the road for so long.

.

Raise the retirement age for the hoi polloi, not the public masters, of course. If you work for government, 20 years will earn you a lifetime of leisure on the backs of the peasantry. Social Security only at 97, to help the "teachers" who retire at 38. We MUST care for our public masters, no matter the cost.

 

[g5000]

Raise the retirement age for the hoi polloi, not the public masters, of course. If you work for government, 20 years will earn you a lifetime of leisure on the backs of the peasantry. Social Security only at 97, to help the "teachers" who retire at 38. We MUST care for our public masters, no matter the cost.

And another thing. How come politicians exempted themselves from the DO NOT CALL registry law?

That really fucking pisses me off.

.

 

[konradv]

Have to get the deficit under control. Until the Republicans listen to economists that tell us the only way to do it is through a combination of cuts and additional revenue, they're going to continue to run us off the cliff.

 

[AmyNation]

The United States of America is one budget bill away from its return to greatness.


The Fiscal Cliff™ will do wonders for concentrating the minds of our legislators. The rich will have their taxes raised, the defense budget will have $500 million trimmed over ten years, entitlement programs will have three or four trillion trimmed over the same period. The stock market will jump for joy, rainbows will sparkle over the Capitol, and everyone will get better cable reception.

We still need to raise the retirement age, though. You can only kick that can down the road for so long.

.

My feelings exactly.

A focused congress that goes in there and gets their hands dirty and we are back on to a path of stability. I really feel that, contrary to the current whining, Americans are ready for tax raises and cuts. Everywhere I turn people are talking about the need to increase taxes and cut spending, and not just on the rich. On themselves and on social programs.

In the city I'm currently living in, people voted for not one, but two tax increases on themselves and it passed by HUGE margins.

 

[pinqy]

But what does this mean to most Americans? Simply more of the same. We will continue to have high unemployment,

It's trending down, but yes it will probably remain high (over 7%) for a while.

with the numbers to be adjusted back above 8% within weeks, now that the election is over.

Could you clarify that? The Establishment survey numbers (non farm payroll jobs) are revised for two months anyway, so in the December release of the Novemeber data, the September numbers will have their last regular revision and the October numbers their first.

The Household survey numbers (labor force, unemployment) will have a revision of the seasonally adjusted numbers for the last couple of years scheduled to be released in January.

Both surveys will be rebenchmarked for the January data released in February.

So I'm not sure if you were simply predicting the revision to the Jobs numbers for Sep and Oct, or predicting the revisions to the seasonal adjustment (I predict the August UE rate will be revised down and the September rate revised up).

Your other predicitons are a bit too gloomy. It won't be sunshine and roses, but it won't be as harsh as you predict.

 

[JakeStarkey]

The dawn to a brighter, clearer American future will come with the elimination of the extremists from the GOP.

 

[kwc57]

A major turning point in that America voted to keep everything exactly the same.

...

K. Maybe a majority of Americans feel that giving the president and the congress a second chance at compromise is better than flipping everything like last time. Or perhaps they simply thought the other guy was sub-par.

Oh no. No, no, no........there is much more to come.

 

[kwc57]

The United States of America is one budget bill away from its return to greatness.


The Fiscal Cliff™ will do wonders for concentrating the minds of our legislators. The rich will have their taxes raised, the defense budget will have $500 million trimmed over ten years, entitlement programs will have three or four trillion trimmed over the same period. The stock market will jump for joy, rainbows will sparkle over the Capitol, and everyone will get better cable reception.

We still need to raise the retirement age, though. You can only kick that can down the road for so long.

.

My feelings exactly.

A focused congress that goes in there and gets their hands dirty and we are back on to a path of stability. I really feel that, contrary to the current whining, Americans are ready for tax raises and cuts. Everywhere I turn people are talking about the need to increase taxes and cut spending, and not just on the rich. On themselves and on social programs.

In the city I'm currently living in, people voted for not one, but two tax increases on themselves and it passed by HUGE margins.

My city has passed and repassed a penny sales tax for about 20 years now. But here is the difference. Each time it has been passed, it was for a phase of projects to improve the city. The people got to choose whether or not to increase their taxes and they knew exactly what it was going to be spent on and no spending or building was done until the money had been collected. That is a huge difference from what the Democrats want to do nationally. The debt is so huge at this point, that bringining in additional revenue won't even scratch the surface. It will just be spent along with what we already take in and what we borrow from China. More taxes is NOT the answer. Controlling the spending is honestly the only thing that matters. The whole tax the wealthy thing is just a populist slogan to shift the blame from those doing the spending. In the end, taxing them does nothing to relieve the debt.

 

[JakeStarkey]

No, kcw57, it is not. Watch the lame duck session and learn.

 

[Uncensored2008]

No, kcw57, it is not. Watch the lame duck session and learn.

Your party won Jake. Now you can work on raising taxes and lowering the incomes of the middle class.

 

[kwc57]

No, kcw57, it is not. Watch the lame duck session and learn.

Fakey,

Obama was making promises in his first admin that when he got reelected, he would have more flexibility.......because then he has nothing to lose. The first 4 years were mild in comparison to what he wants to "fundamentally change" in this 4 years. Perhaps there was a news black out while you were on planet Bizzaro.

 

[AmyNation]

The United States of America is one budget bill away from its return to greatness.


The Fiscal Cliff™ will do wonders for concentrating the minds of our legislators. The rich will have their taxes raised, the defense budget will have $500 million trimmed over ten years, entitlement programs will have three or four trillion trimmed over the same period. The stock market will jump for joy, rainbows will sparkle over the Capitol, and everyone will get better cable reception.

We still need to raise the retirement age, though. You can only kick that can down the road for so long.

.

My feelings exactly.

A focused congress that goes in there and gets their hands dirty and we are back on to a path of stability. I really feel that, contrary to the current whining, Americans are ready for tax raises and cuts. Everywhere I turn people are talking about the need to increase taxes and cut spending, and not just on the rich. On themselves and on social programs.

In the city I'm currently living in, people voted for not one, but two tax increases on themselves and it passed by HUGE margins.

My city has passed and repassed a penny sales tax for about 20 years now. But here is the difference. Each time it has been passed, it was for a phase of projects to improve the city. The people got to choose whether or not to increase their taxes and they knew exactly what it was going to be spent on and no spending or building was done until the money had been collected. That is a huge difference from what the Democrats want to do nationally. The debt is so huge at this point, that bringining in additional revenue won't even scratch the surface. It will just be spent along with what we already take in and what we borrow from China. More taxes is NOT the answer. Controlling the spending is honestly the only thing that matters. The whole tax the wealthy thing is just a populist slogan to shift the blame from those doing the spending. In the end, taxing them does nothing to relieve the debt.

I'm pro tax increases on anyone living over the poverty line, and I do think raising taxes will help the debt, as long as its coupled with serious cuts. That's what I want, and I think thats what most Americans want.

 

[kwc57]

My feelings exactly.

A focused congress that goes in there and gets their hands dirty and we are back on to a path of stability. I really feel that, contrary to the current whining, Americans are ready for tax raises and cuts. Everywhere I turn people are talking about the need to increase taxes and cut spending, and not just on the rich. On themselves and on social programs.

In the city I'm currently living in, people voted for not one, but two tax increases on themselves and it passed by HUGE margins.

My city has passed and repassed a penny sales tax for about 20 years now. But here is the difference. Each time it has been passed, it was for a phase of projects to improve the city. The people got to choose whether or not to increase their taxes and they knew exactly what it was going to be spent on and no spending or building was done until the money had been collected. That is a huge difference from what the Democrats want to do nationally. The debt is so huge at this point, that bringining in additional revenue won't even scratch the surface. It will just be spent along with what we already take in and what we borrow from China. More taxes is NOT the answer. Controlling the spending is honestly the only thing that matters. The whole tax the wealthy thing is just a populist slogan to shift the blame from those doing the spending. In the end, taxing them does nothing to relieve the debt.

I'm pro tax increases on anyone living over the poverty line, and I do think raising taxes will help the debt, as long as its coupled with serious cuts. That's what I want, and I think thats what most Americans want.

Except history shows that politicians will spend any additional revenue on more "stuff" and increase the debt rather than use it to pay down the existing debt. We have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. We need to spend less than we take in. We don't. Increasing revenue will not cut spending or the debt. When you get in trouble with personal spending, you cut up the credit card. You don't go get a second card. That's real life. We need to apply it to our nation as well.

 

[Uncensored2008]

I'm pro tax increases on anyone living over the poverty line, and I do think raising taxes will help the debt, as long as its coupled with serious cuts. That's what I want, and I think thats what most Americans want.

Would you support a system where people are taxed 90% of their income, but the government provides basic needs such as housing, food, medical care, and transportation? Trains and buses or course, with private transportation restricted to a select few. Government cafeterias can be set up to provide meals, and government apartments allocated to individuals and families based on space needs? Sort of Jakematters dream society.

 

[AmyNation]

My city has passed and repassed a penny sales tax for about 20 years now. But here is the difference. Each time it has been passed, it was for a phase of projects to improve the city. The people got to choose whether or not to increase their taxes and they knew exactly what it was going to be spent on and no spending or building was done until the money had been collected. That is a huge difference from what the Democrats want to do nationally. The debt is so huge at this point, that bringining in additional revenue won't even scratch the surface. It will just be spent along with what we already take in and what we borrow from China. More taxes is NOT the answer. Controlling the spending is honestly the only thing that matters. The whole tax the wealthy thing is just a populist slogan to shift the blame from those doing the spending. In the end, taxing them does nothing to relieve the debt.

I'm pro tax increases on anyone living over the poverty line, and I do think raising taxes will help the debt, as long as its coupled with serious cuts. That's what I want, and I think thats what most Americans want.

Except history shows that politicians will spend any additional revenue on more "stuff" and increase the debt rather than use it to pay down the existing debt. We have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. We need to spend less than we take in. We don't. Increasing revenue will not cut spending or the debt. When you get in trouble with personal spending, you cut up the credit card. You don't go get a second card. That's real life. We need to apply it to our nation as well.

I'm well aware of the history of massive spending by both parties and I really have no hope that it will change in the next four years. I'm pretty sure we'll look back at the number 16 trillion fondly in 2016, just like I see people talking about 10 trillion as being "not so bad".

 

[Zoom-boing]

The United States of America is one budget bill away from its return to greatness.


The Fiscal Cliff™ will do wonders for concentrating the minds of our legislators. The rich will have their taxes raised, the defense budget will have $500 million trimmed over ten years, entitlement programs will have three or four trillion trimmed over the same period. The stock market will jump for joy, rainbows will sparkle over the Capitol, and everyone will get better cable reception.

We still need to raise the retirement age, though. You can only kick that can down the road for so long.

.

My feelings exactly.

A focused congress that goes in there and gets their hands dirty and we are back on to a path of stability. I really feel that, contrary to the current whining, Americans are ready for tax raises and cuts. Everywhere I turn people are talking about the need to increase taxes and cut spending, and not just on the rich. On themselves and on social programs.

In the city I'm currently living in, people voted for not one, but two tax increases on themselves and it passed by HUGE margins.

What did they vote on to cut?