dagblog - Comments for "Don't Raise Taxes Yet"

I know, drives me nuts. We

Michael Maiello — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 12:55:51 +0000

In reply to Which is exactly why the

I know, drives me nuts. We have the highest corporate tax rate in the world! But, uh... nobody pays it.

Well Lamont, maybe we should

Resistance — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:07:57 +0000

In reply to I am totally flummoxed by

Well Lamont, maybe we should bring back the buggy whip manufactures?

We need infrastructure repairs, our bridges, our roads, our power grid system is breaking down.

I don't know where you've been sleeping, Rip Van Winkle, but we have gridlock and the Republicans are not going to vote for tax increases.

You can scream and stomp your feet, call them names, but the Republicans are not going to allow an increase in Taxes.

Now I can feel the pain of Mohair ranchers, but all of the aforementioned infrastructure projects; should take precedence. To do this we either have to raise revenue or we have to cut low priority causes.

Wishing won't work Lamont

Raising taxes is not going to pass, that leaves only one revenues source left.......Cut other programs so you can do the more important things.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Like telling the kids, you took home a paycheck of $70.00. You want to spend $70.00 dollars a week on cigarettes or do you want food on the table, so you can maintain your health?

Because I can assure you, no ones going to loan you money, so you can do both.

(Your a bad credit risk, if you decide in favor of the cigs)

Quit smoking and EAT; or smoke and die. Your choice...... hopefully your of sound mind and can make the right choice, the right priority.

But I suppose Lamont; you think that is unfair to the Tobacco executives and their workers?

Which is exactly why the

stillidealistic — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 03:03:18 +0000

In reply to I would rather see the

Which is exactly why the complaints about raising their marginal tax rates are so monumentally ridiculous. They will immediately have their accountants and congress finding new ways for them to avoid paying them.

I would rather see the

cmaukonen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 02:52:07 +0000

In reply to Don't Raise Taxes Yet

I would rather see the government close up the tax loop holes. What's the point in raising taxes on those who pay little or none to begin with because of them ?

I am totally flummoxed by

lamont — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 02:07:51 +0000

In reply to If Obama wants stimulus

I am totally flummoxed by your comment. Are you for Federal stimulus or aren't you? Is it that you don't understand government stimulus plans? What do you think they are?

If you cut the Federal vehicle budget, the employees that maintain it will be laid off. You have some better job you are going to have them do? And actually, buying more energy efficient vehicles for the Federal fleet from American manufacturers was part of the 2009 stimulus. If you cut Congressional printing and binding, the people that do it would get laid off or hours or wages cut. If you cut certification of organic produce, the people that do it would get laid off or hours or wages cut. They in turn will spend less money, and that hurts the economy, ok?

Likewise, if you cut current government subsidies to certain industries, that may very well end up in people being laid off or having hours or wages cut. Now you may not like the industries being subsidized, but if you are for Federal stimulus, you might not want to rock that boat right at this point. (Unless you have a plan for quick retraining of unemployed mohair goat herders in Texas?)

This is without going into the ripple effect, i.e., those U.S. workers that make the parts for the cars the Federal government is buying.

Even the death gratuity for members of Congress creates stimulus if you take that p.o.v-- might get spent to the benefit of employment related to--use your imagination--extra flowers for the funeral, rounds of drinks with big tips at a DC watering hole with benefits to wait staff and Virginia whiskey distilleries and Boston microbreweries, or a new Harley for the deceased Senator's trophy wife.

By the way, who ever imagined

acanuck — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:42:53 +0000

In reply to OK, there's a Plan B on the

By the way, who ever imagined Mitch McConnell would be the adult in the room? Strange days.

OK, there's a Plan B on the

acanuck — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:40:07 +0000

In reply to Don't Raise Taxes Yet

OK, there's a Plan B on the table that avoids default. After one last kick at the can (today's White House kabuki-fest), could I suggest it's time for Obama to put the Plan A charade out of its misery?

One glitch in any resolution of this "crisis" is that it needs both houses to enact it and the president to sign in. We're no longer three weeks away from default; we're two.

It's peachy that Mitch and Reid and Boehner and Pelosi and Wall Street are all (more or less) on board. Legislation still has to pass, and Tea Party crazies will do all they can to stall and amend and otherwise sabotage Mitch's face-saving move. Likewise, if Obama magically gets some kind of "balanced" deal of the kind he's been pushing (involving real benefit cuts), that won't fly with some Senate Democrats. Remember, Republicans aren't the only ones who can filibuster.

My guess is that, even if Obama accepts Plan B right now, the haggling and vitriol and tantrum-throwing will still go on, down to the wire. The U.S. credit rating may avoid a formal downgrade, but international trust will be badly shaken. I wouldn't give a damn, except that further collapse of your economy will directly affect the rest of the world's, including mine.

So get it done, Mr. President. Start now.

If Obama wants stimulus

Resistance — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:36:45 +0000

In reply to Don't Raise Taxes Yet

If Obama wants stimulus money, here’s where he can get it

Why can’t he cut some of these programs and redirect some of the money spent?

Haven’t some of these programs outlived there priority?

International Fund for Ireland . $17 million annual savings.

Eliminate duplicative education programs. H.R. 2274 (in last Congress), authored by Rep. McKeon, eliminates 68 at a savings of $1.3 billion annually.

Cut in half funding for congressional printing and binding. $47 million annual savings

Trim Federal Vehicle Budget by 20%. $600 million annual savings.

Presidential Campaign Fund. $775 million savings over ten years.

Eliminate Mohair Subsidies. $1 million annual savings.

USDA Sugar Program. $14 million annual savings.

Eliminate the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program. $56.2 million annual savings.

Eliminate death gratuity for Members of Congress.

This is only a partial list

http://dagblog.com/politics/lets-step-and-do-it-11033#comment-127743

On and on it goes, once a government program is initiated, we can’t get rid of it

We need stimulus money; do we really need Mohair subsidies?

Sugar producers need subsidies?

Redirect some of this money to projects we need now; reinstitute them later, if needed

There is certainly some truth

stillidealistic — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:20:45 +0000

In reply to THEN we can work on the

There is certainly some truth to that, but the repubs want to rewrite history, and we shouldn't let them. Clinton left a surplus, Bush a ginormous deficit (on top of a deep, deep, recession) now they've suddenly got fiscal religion. I know people have REALLY short memories, but we need to keep reminding them that we didn't do this. I know there are many who are getting tired of the "it's bush's fault" stuff, but it is!

I, personally, don't think that being given 8 years to fix what took 8 years to mess up is too much to ask.

How are things over in

David Seaton — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 19:59:19 +0000

In reply to Don't Raise Taxes Yet

How are things over in Murdoch land today?