Politics As Usual

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
And yet funny that the only complaint out of the Dems over the prescription drug benefit was that it wasn't Large enough.

That is so not the "only complaint out of the Dems over the prescription drug benefit." You need better sources of information. Stop listening to your cubiclemate.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
And yet funny that the only complaint out of the Dems over the prescription drug benefit was that it wasn't Large enough.

Funny.

I think the size is fine, if not too large, but that the structure is seriously fucked up.

[SlaveNoMore]

Tyrone Slothrop
As long as corn-growing states with small populations get the same number of senators apiece as California does, you can rest assured that the federal government -- no matter who presides over it -- will subsidize ethanol.

Notice I used the qualifier more

Meanwhile, complaining about hypothetical Democrat budget-busting is a weak strategy, since Clinton actually balanced the budget, and Bush is blowing it up.

True, although with the market bubble, the facade upon which these surplus projections was built should keep the Clinton/Rubin miracle in perspective.

[dtb]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
She'll have to sell [the pony] when it becomes a horse to help pay her share of the deficit, though. Make sure you warn her, lest she sneak off with your wife's pervie teacher.

Uh.... ponies don't ever become horses. Ponies are ponies their entire lives. Baby horses are called foals (yearlings, colts, but not ponies).

Carry on.

[SlaveNoMore]

Atticus Grinch
Individual Ready Reserve, activate! That pretty much sucks. I have several friends in this category. I wonder if Bush's supposed lock on the military vote will be counteracted when pretty much every single military mom and spouse is pissed off enough to vote Dem.

Don't believe the hype, as this isn't all that uncommon.

The called my buddy back in under the same program to go to Kosovo.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Notice I used the qualifier more

The Democratic Party does not believe more strongly in ethanol subsidies than the GOP. No one thinks they're good policy, and everyone votes for them to keep farmers happy. Surely you can find other pork that's shot up in the last few years because it tends to go to GOP districts instead of Dem ones.

True, although with the market bubble, the facade upon which these surplus projections was built should keep the Clinton/Rubin miracle in perspective.

Cite, please, for the proposition that Clinton was able to balance the budget only because of some kind of bubble. The real bubble was in the stock market, not in the federal budget. And it would look like less of a bubble if Bush had tried to enact fiscal policies to help the economy instead massive tax cuts for the rich. See Jesse Helms' quote.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
While both Ashcroft and Ridge see their job as scaring you, it is not historically one of the federal government's core functions, and I do not think my taxes should pay for it.

too bad. it is an area where I do feel Kerry does a better job.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
Well, it is true that past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Where do you think the $400 billion of necessary cuts will come from?

general pork
begining reform of medicare
begining reform of SS (e.g, private accounts, raising minimum age, etc., all under the cover of a Greenspan blessing).

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Don't believe the hype, as this isn't all that uncommon.

The called my buddy back in under the same program to go to Kosovo.

Yeah? Ask him where he'd rather go. Kosovo, Fallujah - all the same.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop


Cite, please, for the proposition that Clinton was able to balance the budget only because of some kind of bubble. The real bubble was in the stock market, not in the federal budget. And it would look like less of a bubble if Bush had tried to enact fiscal policies to help the economy instead massive tax cuts for the rich. See Jesse Helms' quote.

Honest question. Do you not see the argument that the tax cuts were necessary to offset the effects of (a) the recession (which started anywhere from 1/01 to 3/01), (b) 9/11, (c) the collapse of the capital markets due to multiple financial scandles, and (d) 2 wars?

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
And yet funny that the only complaint out of the Dems over the prescription drug benefit was that it wasn't Large enough.

Funny.

I'm sorry, I thought we were discussing how the only reason Bush didn't cut spending was because of the necessities of war. My bad.

Next time I'll remember that in Slave-speak, "Bush is only not cutting spending because he's a strong wartime leader and we're at war" really means "oh yeah, well the Dems want to raise spending too."

That way, I'll know that, instead of saying "bullshit, most of the spending increases are not related to the war" that I should really say "Funny how the Dems were willing to forego tax cuts in order to pay for the program they wanted."

I'll take "tax and spend" over "borrow and spend" any day.

[SlaveNoMore]

Sexual Harassment Panda
Yeah? Ask him where he'd rather go. Kosovo, Fallujah - all the same.

Thank you for sharing this enlightening comment.

[the Spartan]

Originally posted by sgtclub
Honest question. Do you not see the argument that the tax cuts were necessary to offset the effects of (a) the recession (which started anywhere from 1/01 to 3/01), (b) 9/11, (c) the collapse of the capital markets due to multiple financial scandles, and (d) 2 wars?

Honest answer: I do.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by sgtclub
general pork
begining reform of medicare
begining reform of SS (e.g, private accounts, raising minimum age, etc., all under the cover of a Greenspan blessing).

Quick question: How much of this year's deficit is due to Social Security payouts exceeding Social Security receipts?

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by sgtclub
general pork
begining reform of medicare
begining reform of SS (e.g, private accounts, raising minimum age, etc., all under the cover of a Greenspan blessing).

Just out of curiosity, how are you looking to reform medicare?

ETA: i keep on hearing this, but i'm not sure what people mean by it, and i'm very open to any ideas to fix health care in general.