Re:Occupy MacJams
Tuesday, November 08 2011 @ 05:14 PM CST

Quote by: crissew Quote by: VicDiesel Quote by: crissew There is NO WAY to tax our way out of this deficit. Agree. The only way out is to control spending. Not agree. Why are you so against raising taxes? Why not a combination or raising taxes and cutting spending? Why do you say it's "the only way out"? Proof, if you please, or at least some plausible reasoning. Here's my proposal. Let's just say that Reagan was the greatest president ever, so let's bring taxes back to, oh, the what they were at the end of his first term. And reduce defense spending to what it was on 9/10/2001, now that we have killed Sadam & Bin Laden, and we're out of Iraq (almost). Sounds good to you? Victor. My point was that you could raise the taxes on the rich to 100% of their income and it still wouldn't come close to closing the spending gap. I honestly don't care if they raise taxes on the rich but either way, but it solves very little. We owe $48000 per person in national debt as of this second and it is going to be going up to almost 60k. I have 6 in my family so our tab will be 360k. How do you tax your way out of that kind of spending? Regardless of whether we raise taxes on the rich, the government already collects far more than any other country on earth and still runs a 40% deficit. To me, the government has already proven that they can't be trusted to spend tax dollars wisely. I think that the more money that is out in the economy to be spent and paid to workers the better. The more money taken from income earners and given to government to pay off their buddies and buys votes with, the worse.

There is no way to do anything quickly - but there are always steps one can take in the right direction. Pressure must be brought to bear on the government to serve the people and not private interests. Strong grassroots efforts and campaigning for what will be tolerated by the public is as start. Insisting that some things that have been acceptable in the past are no longer going to fly: for instance, gross lobbying, and wrist slaps by the SEC as opposed to strong prosecution and high number fines that go into the public coffers for repeated offenses by banks and other institutions to name two. The repeal of corporate personhood - the taxation of financial transfers - and a more equitable income tax on all are just some of the efforts worth pursuing that together can start reducing the the debt and corruption that is destroying our country.
Just because it's going to be hard and take a long time is no reason to give up the fight before it's even begun in earnest. I find that too often people pick one situation that seems impossible to overcome and throw in the towel. I don't think we can afford to do that - and I think that the need for fundamental change transcends race, creed, age, and political affiliation - if people look into their hearts and try to envision the future they are leaving to their children and grandchildren.
Raising taxes is not the only answer. Adjusting spending - leveling serious penalties on criminal fraudulent activities, and reducing corruption and corporate influence have to be part of the equation.

Re:Occupy MacJams
Tuesday, November 08 2011 @ 05:42 PM CST

This does a good explaining some of our problems.

Re:Occupy MacJams
Tuesday, November 08 2011 @ 06:09 PM CST

Quote by: damiengh This does a good explaining some of our problems.

Very disingenuous video IMO. They claim to care about the country being broke yet only mention the items that their obvious liberal slant would be against. What about Solyndra who were handed over 500 MILLION in subsidies only to squander all of it and then declare bankruptcy? I only mention this one because it was a half BILLION dollars and the story broke recently. There are countless other "green" companies that are doing likewise.

This article is the problem with politics. She frames the entire debate as if she really cares when in reality she cares about promoting her agenda... the Democrat agenda. She frames the debate as if to say that nuclear power is evil. That is laughable. We are one of the LOWEST nuclear powered developed countries in the world. The reality is that wind, solar and ethanol will NEVER be viable forms of energy unless we want to revert to the middle ages. People want their electric cars but don't want coal, natural gas or nuclear powering it. Well good luck with that.

Re:Occupy MacJams
Tuesday, November 08 2011 @ 07:14 PM CST

i'm hijacking this thread
(p)
why doesn't Herman Cain simply sue Sharon Bialek for slander?

Re:Occupy MacJams
Tuesday, November 08 2011 @ 09:08 PM CST

Quote by: crissew Regardless of whether we raise taxes on the rich, the government already collects far more than any other country on earth and still runs a 40% deficit.

I can assume that you protested about this continuously as Bush ran up this deficit?

Victor.

Re:Occupy MacJams
Tuesday, November 08 2011 @ 09:37 PM CST

"I can assume that you protested about this continuously as Bush ran up this deficit?"

No Bushbot complained a bit as Bush borrowed more money than all 42 prior presidents COMBINED in his 1st 2 years of office. Conversely, no Obamabot will complain that criminal banks have already made more money in Obama's 1st 3 years than the banks did during all 8 Bush years.

Bots don't have rational minds, they only have the ability to mimic propaganda which is why so many "bots" don't even know the truth after being presented with it over and over and over again. OWS protesters are, like me, extremely aware of this phenomenon which is the result of the last 100+ years of govt and corporate propaganda.

I'm sure this will be ignored by most here, as usual.

Re:Occupy MacJams
Tuesday, November 08 2011 @ 10:07 PM CST

It's really not important what any of us are saying about any of these issues here in this forum. It's only important that people are doing something in the real world to bring about the kind of change that they would like to see. Chances are we will be working at opposing agendas in some cases - but it's better than doing nothing but talking.

That said - the exchange of ideas is great and has been cool. Hurting each other with words here is ridiculous in light of the big picture. Take anger and frustration to the streets, or write your congressman - or whatever - and do it with conviction.

Re:Gone Fishing
Wednesday, November 09 2011 @ 01:32 PM CST

Gone Fishing - might try to make some music too.
Definitely loading the ipod with MJ.

Re:Gone Fishing
Wednesday, November 09 2011 @ 02:23 PM CST

Have fun Bud. Enjoy the break.

Re:Done Fishing
Tuesday, November 15 2011 @ 06:15 AM CST

My fishing trip was rudely interrupted this morning by the raid on Zuccotti Park.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/nyregion/police-begin-clearing-zuccotti-park-of-protesters.html?hp