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How can anyone seriously support Obama's budget proposals? Tom Send a noteboard - 14/04/2011 02:49:30 PM
I realize that Obama is playing politics and so I don't fault him for coming out with an unrealistic budget proposal (at least in theory). What I don't understand is why anyone would honestly support it.

The harsh reality is that raising taxes on the rich is not going to be enough to balance the budget. There aren't enough rich people to tax to generate that kind of revenue. The middle class contributes the majority of the taxes collected by the Treasury not because they are overtaxed, but because there are so many of them. Any attempt at fiscal responsibility is going to likely see a return to the Clinton-era tax levels.

Furthermore, Obama's refusal to touch Medicare and Medicaid is absolutely absurd. The program has been doubling in cost every five years or so, and it is these two entitlement programs that are set to bankrupt our economy. Fraud is rampant, payouts are obscene (example: motorized scooters cost private insurers $1200, but Medicare pays $3000 for them, hence non-stop commercials for the same on cable news networks). Even if those two problems were fixed the programs are still going to bankrupt the US. Social Security can be fixed if it is just adjusted a bit. But something - and I'm not saying that the Ryan plan is the answer - has to be done about Medicare and Medicaid.

It's just disgusting that Obama can try to pretend like his proposal is reasonable. It disgusts me in a way that few things Obama has done have disgusted me.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.

ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius

Ummaka qinnassa nīk!

*MySmiley*
This message last edited by Tom on 14/04/2011 at 02:50:47 PM
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How can anyone seriously support Obama's budget proposals? - 14/04/2011 02:49:30 PM 1048 Views
I agree with your overall point but I do question one of your facts - 14/04/2011 03:25:25 PM 533 Views
Using IRS data for 2008: (most recent year for which data is available) - 14/04/2011 03:45:20 PM 558 Views
those numbers sem high. What is your source? *NM* - 14/04/2011 05:05:26 PM 209 Views
Data: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/08in31mt.xls *NM* - 14/04/2011 08:32:42 PM 223 Views
That's a breakdown of who modifies their returns and how it affects revenue. - 14/04/2011 09:15:21 PM 417 Views
I see. Well, nevermind then. *NM* - 15/04/2011 01:37:13 PM 212 Views
I believe you are questioning one of my definitions, not one of my facts. - 14/04/2011 04:36:35 PM 468 Views
No matter how you define it I think it would be hard to call the top 5% middle class - 14/04/2011 05:03:33 PM 478 Views
A family making $150,000 is not middle class? - 14/04/2011 06:07:07 PM 497 Views
reading what you said again - 14/04/2011 06:37:54 PM 458 Views
What a load of crap! - 14/04/2011 03:49:29 PM 633 Views
Yes, your response is a load of crap. - 14/04/2011 04:55:20 PM 537 Views
Re: Yes, your response is a load of crap. - 14/04/2011 05:13:14 PM 619 Views
This is our first war without a tax increase. - 14/04/2011 06:05:43 PM 539 Views
"Artful Dodgers" - 14/04/2011 06:30:58 PM 481 Views
Not giving me the information I need - 14/04/2011 09:33:36 PM 462 Views
Er, check facts - 14/04/2011 05:04:02 PM 655 Views
Yeah, lets fact check - 14/04/2011 05:43:34 PM 518 Views
I'm not sure thats entirely right - 14/04/2011 05:51:18 PM 688 Views
You basically just said what I said. How am I not right? - 14/04/2011 05:56:08 PM 478 Views
Re: You basically just said what I said. How am I not right? - 15/04/2011 02:48:07 AM 584 Views
A response - 14/04/2011 06:33:49 PM 592 Views
I only have one thing to ask. - 15/04/2011 02:36:07 PM 442 Views
What about the farm subsidies and the military? - 15/04/2011 04:54:54 PM 510 Views
Re: What about the farm subsidies and the military? - 15/04/2011 08:21:16 PM 465 Views
Cutting the military isn't enough - 16/04/2011 04:27:11 AM 443 Views

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