Bush is at it again.

[it290]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/po ... ncies.html

sigh. Nothing unexpected, but shouldn't it be getting harder for him to sell this stuff by now?

[neorichieb1971]

Saving $2.2 billion USD on a $2.27 Trillion USD deficit sounds rather insigificant.


Thats like taxing me 15 cents extra a week on my salary.

[Brian]

I love how he touts Medicare and his "compassionate conservative" bullshit all the time but then he cuts Medicare funding. Plus, there is no new aid for Katrina victims in there. The plan is simply more defense and special interests money.

[Blade]

C'mon guys, where's the love? If you think about the president in terms of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, you'd understand things a lot clearer.

[Turrican]

C'mon guys, where's the love? If you think about the president in terms of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, you'd understand things a lot clearer.

If you mean that both James Johnson and Sears were actually just pawns, then yes, I agree. However, on a human level, I do believe both Johnson and Sears were a lot nicer than Bush.

Hey, at least Solidus ideals were right, and he does wear a f***ing octopus armor.

[Acid King]

He has to cut stuff. We can't just keep increasing the size of our government every year like we have been doing, especially with the tax cut he pusehd through. Everyone hates taxes and bitches when they're raised, but everyone wants more funding for everything.

[Brian]

No, I find it absurd to cut taxes during a period of war. If he is so in love with tax cuts, he should have vetoed some spending bills in his lifetime.

Bottom line to me is the fact that is a paradox to call yourself a compassionate conservative and cut medical and education.

[Specineff]

It's all a conspiracy by the Patriots, dammit. Don't you see it? without war, there's no reason for soldiers like you and me to exist.

But seriously, ignorance within this country is a worse enemy than terrorists ever will. I don't see how cutting education funding is going to benefit the country in the long run.

[BulletMagnet]

He has to cut stuff.

Indeed he does...and people realize that. However, methinks the problem most people have with the current setup is that he's cutting essential things that the lower and middle classes rely on (public education, medical care, etc.), while absolutely refusing to back down on his coveted tax cuts, which, as anyone who's been paying attention knows, are incredibly tilted in favor of the very wealthiest.

I think people in general would be a lot more receptive to "tightening their belts" or whatever if there was some sense that those who have the most to give to "the cause" (whatever that is) are actually doing their share, and not sitting back and relaxing in leisure while those who have much less are the ones expected to sacrifice, and be called "unpatriotic" if they so much as point out the aforementioned iniquity.

If memory serves, he proposed a bunch of cuts in education and medical care last year too...honestly, he's not even pretending to care about anyone except the upper crust. Then again, he never really has.

[GaijinPunch]

I don't see how cutting education funding is going to benefit the country in the long run.

Smartest thing ever said in these forums.

The biggest problem, I think, with any country is that most people are extremely stupid. Is America any better or worse than any other country? Well, probably, although I don't have the proof to back it up. Making our children smart is the only way to avoid electing dipshits to run the country. Well, now I guess I can see why he wants to cut education.

[professor ganson]

Bush's economic agenda just looks like Reagan's all over again. Except, unlike Reagan, Bush seems not to care about a safety net for the poor. He's obviously hoping that his war will have a favorable outcome, as perhaps Reagan's cold war did. But what future, positive outcome would outweigh the costs? It's hard to see.

[Specineff]

While I believe the actions of the western world play some part in it, (sorry for the derail) it was more the hollowness and impracticality of the commie system what made it fall under its own weight, IMHO.

[The n00b]

Damn he probably cut the funding to make more cartoons about muhammad too.

[VNAF Ace]

The tax cuts (for ALL Americans) are a good thing.

Raising taxes would kill our rebounding economy. Have any of you actually taken a macroeconomics class?

[howmuchkeefe]

I seriously think some people would love nothing more than for there to be an uneducated underclass of people here in America, one which would jump at the opportunity to earn $0.45 an hour, sans benefits.

...but it's so freaking nuts! Who's to say that the uneducated underclass won't eat everyone who isn't starving/whose demograph enjoys a single digit infant mortality rate?

[GaijinPunch]

The tax cuts (for ALL Americans) are a good thing.

Depends on what he cuts. Unfortunately, the world is gray, but old Dubya only sees in black and white (and of course green).

[Brian]

Yea, explain how raising taxes in 1991 killed the US economy in the mid to late 90s. A fan of trickle down econcomics are you?

[GaijinPunch]

Yea, explain how raising taxes in 1991 killed the US economy in the mid to late 90s. A fan of trickle down econcomics are you?

Bah to the trickle down. Did you ever read Lies, and the Lying Liars that Tell Them? Had a funny "Trickle Down Jesus" comic that I only vaguely remember. Hillarious book though.

I have my own theories on why trickle down economics doesn't work. B/c humans are greedy fucks. Myself included. I make many fold what I made in my first job out of college (which was sheckles) and all I think of is fantastic ways to save it and not let other people have it.

[VNAF Ace]

I'm not a fan of trickle down economics. I just don't see anything wrong with tax cuts for ALL Americans instead of limiting tax cuts to just the lower/middle class like some damn socialists.

[PaCrappa]

I'm not a fan of trickle down economics. I just don't see anything wrong with tax cuts for ALL Americans instead of limiting tax cuts to just the lower/middle class like some damn socialists.

We got us a live one. 35 posts into it and that macroeconomics class is already paying off.

Pa

[GaijinPunch]

I'm not a fan of trickle down economics. I just don't see anything wrong with tax cuts for ALL Americans instead of limiting tax cuts to just the lower/middle class like some damn socialists.

B/c lower class citizens need the money like 1000x more than middle and upper class. If you're struggling to make ends meet on $30k a year, 2% tax raise is enough to really fuck you. If you're struggling to make ends meet on $100k, you need to drop one of your hobbies.

[Brian]

Because they are NOT tax cuts for all Americans. For instance, last year due to the "tax cuts" I saved a whopping $13 on capital gains. I got a check for a child tax credit for approxmately $1000, but when I did my 2004 taxes my child tax credit was denied. Why? Because the refund that previously came to me was actually a credit on 2004. Where did Bush state that? Even the IRS told me they were surprised.

The bottom line is that Dubyah's rhetoric does not match his actions. How can he go on and on about America needing to lead in science and then cutting off the ways and means for scientists to do their work? How can he talk about needing more educators and then slashing education? Yet at the same time, he'll approve the "bridge to nowhere", etc... The guy is an embarassment to this nation.

[Acid King]

While I believe the actions of the western world play some part in it, (sorry for the derail) it was more the hollowness and impracticality of the commie system what made it fall under its own weight, IMHO.

It's because they skipped a step in the economic continuum. Marx said that Communism was to follow capitalism. Russia, Cuba and China all skipped the capitalism part. You need capital to create a large government. You can't just jump from an unindustrialized agrarian society to industrial socialism. China is doing better now, but a lot of that can be attributed to the economic free areas they created.

Indeed he does...and people realize that. However, methinks the problem most people have with the current setup is that he's cutting essential things that the lower and middle classes rely on (public education, medical care, etc.), while absolutely refusing to back down on his coveted tax cuts, which, as anyone who's been paying attention knows, are incredibly tilted in favor of the very wealthiest.

I think people in general would be a lot more receptive to "tightening their belts" or whatever if there was some sense that those who have the most to give to "the cause" (whatever that is) are actually doing their share, and not sitting back and relaxing in leisure while those who have much less are the ones expected to sacrifice, and be called "unpatriotic" if they so much as point out the aforementioned iniquity.

Federal education spending is less than 10% of all total education spending in America. You could probably kill the department of education and not notice it. Also, why the fuck do we have NASA anyway? There's a ton of stuff you could cut, no one wants to do it though. Once you offer something, no one wants to give it up. Pprice supports/subisidies to farmers that kill off developing nations agricultural sectors? "FUCK THOSE BROWN SKINNED BASTARDS! WHAT ABOUT OUR FARMERS! THEY NEED THAT MONEY!!!" Close down old, unnecessary military installations? "THOSE PEOPLE NEED THOSE JOBS!" Theres a ton of stuff you could cut.

And I really doubt that any politican running on the platform of say, raising everyones income tax by 10-20% to have universal healthcare would have a chance at winning pretty much any election in America. No matter how good the cause seems, people are averse to haven their money taken.

I'll just say this; we shouldn't just be looking at numbers and how much we're spending and evaluating cuts based on the fact that something falls under a spending heading such as education. We should be looking at the merits and the effectiveness of the spending and not simply say "We can't cut education!!!!". Seriously, does Bush need more money to waste on a bloated, overreaching, ineffective program like No Child Left Behind? Shouldn't we be trying to lower the cost of medical insurance rather than just saying the government should pay for everyones? Shouldn't we be trying to figure out why people are in poverty to begin with instead of just increasing welfare spending? Sometimes it's like we think that we can cure social problems by shoving money in the wounds instead of going after what caused them in the first place...

[BulletMagnet]

Federal education spending is less than 10% of all total education spending in America. You could probably kill the department of education and not notice it.

And that fact in itself doesn't somehow disturb you? The government already doesn't care nearly enough about education, and it's trying to concern itself with it even less than it currently does. The same goes for health care and the like; the government strangles all the life out of it, and then points to it and says "See? Big government doesn't work!" and uses that as an excuse for further privatization.

Granted, I am quite apolitical, and dislike pretty much ANY politician, liberal or conservative, since as far as I'm concerned they're all basically out to do the same thing, namely bilk the public for all it's worth. I'm not saying that things would necessarily be much better under a different party, but honestly, simply the fact that the government doesn't care enough about a certain institution to support it properly isn't a good enough reason to up and kill it off to be done with it.

Also, why the fuck do we have NASA anyway? There's a ton of stuff you could cut, no one wants to do it though.

From what I know NASA hasn't exactly been swimming in money for some time...considering the various difficulties they've had with some of their recent operations, and the outdated nature of much of their equipment, it makes sense. Speaking of which, didn't the Prez propose some kind of mission to Mars some time ago...what happened to that?

Once you offer something, no one wants to give it up.

Does that mean that you just plain shouldn't offer anything in the first place, though? This brings to mind the current plight of some of the Katrina refugees who have been in hotels since being displaced: IIRC, apparently FEMA's not paying for at least some of them anymore. The people, as you'd expect, don't want to leave, since they have noplace to go. Should the government have just left them on their own from the get-go? Considering the slow response to the disaster, it almost seems as it they tried to do just that...

We should be looking at the merits and the effectiveness of the spending and not simply say "We can't cut education!!!!". Seriously, does Bush need more money to waste on a bloated, overreaching, ineffective program like No Child Left Behind?

To a point I agree, but again, why does it seem that ONLY public institutions which this administration would rather just throw out the window are being told to "trim the fat," and others are either left as they are or further exempted from any economic sacrifices whatsoever? That's not to say that the first-mentioned institutions don't need it (believe me, as a teacher in training I'm aware of plenty of things in the educational status quo which we could definitely do without), but I can't help but be disturbed at the fact that ONLY departments and such which this administration has no interest in seem to be at the chopping block. You want inefficiency, take a look at the military, and all the wasted money it's spent on projects that have gone nowhere over the years: time to trim the fat? 'Fraid not. As you say, apparently we need to "stuff money in the wounds." The exorbitant and completely unnecessary tax breaks and loopholes to the rich, and to big business? Nope, keep on "stuffing that money." Oh, and loosen environmental regulations while you're at it, to make sure that there are NO restraints on their profitability whatsoever. And give their lobbyists an even bigger say in what the lawmakers do. And limit the rights of their workers to strike. And default on their pensions. And on and on it goes.

"Trimming the fat" is all well and good. As I said, however, the Powers That Be seem to have a very narrow idea of what's even eligible for trimming. If the nation's got to tighten its belt, I want to see EVERYone doing it, not just those who it's going to be toughest on, the ones the government is least concerned about.

And honestly, don't freakin' get me STARTED on NCLB.

[professor ganson]

The guy is an embarassment to this nation.

Honestly, I think I know personally only two people who would disagree with this. And I live in OH, the state that pushed him past Kerry. Who and where are these Bush supporters?

One of the Bush supporters I know is a hard-line libertarian. But Bush is not a libertarian; he's a christian conservative. He seems to care relatively little about civil liberties. He wants the government to be able to eavesdrop on your conversations. The fact is, I think most libertarians really care most about low taxes and guns. People obsessed about these issues will always vote Republican, even if Republican promises of small government are a lie thanks to massive military spending.

[VNAF Ace]

The US Military is what keeps the free world safe. I don't believe in cutting military spending especially with the War On Terror still raging.

[yojo!]

The US Military is what keeps the free world safe.

And Bush is its leader ?. Give me a break. America's imperialism is what got us into trouble. We need a communist revolution; capitalism is human kind's worst enemy.

[Turrican]

The US Military is what keeps the free world safe.

And Bush is its leader ?. Give me a break. America's imperialism is what got us into trouble. We need a communist revolution; capitalism is human kind's worst enemy.

For everlasting peace!

[VNAF Ace]

America is a liberating power, not an imperial power.

As for your idiotic comment about communism...
http://www.protestwarrior.com/nimages/s ... ign_04.gif
And that number includes several of my family members.

The communists can bring it on. I welcome my first oppurtunity to kill some communists, and avenge my family's honor.

[Turrican]

America is a liberating power, not an imperial power.

As for your idiotic comment about communism...
http://www.protestwarrior.com/nimages/s ... ign_04.gif
And that number includes several of my family members.

The communists can bring it on. I welcome my first oppurtunity to kill some communist, and avenge my family's honor.

Holy shit, somehow posting on these forums doesn't seem a good idea anymore... You'd really wish to kill guys with different political ideas from yours? Scary.