Waiting for Fitzgerald

[SlaveNoMore]

ironweed
Oh yeah? I pissed on Len Berman's shoes one time in the men's room at the Boardy Barn. I bitch-slapped Ernie Anastos at the Massapequa 7-11 and stole his car. Strong Island, bay-beee!

I told Frank Field his son is a fag.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by paigowprincess
First sign of a corrupt regime, when the going gets tough, the tough take bribes to abuse power. I thought you were all about helping the charities?

this whole thing seems like a bad precedent.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
I told Frank Field his son is a fag.

In a good way or a bad way?

[Captain]

Originally posted by Spanky
Actually this is not true. Deficit prediction are almost always to high in a growing economy and too low in a slowing economy because of the multiplier effect. When the economy grows, tax receipts grow at a higher percentage than the economy. One of the reasons is "bracket creep". People get pushed into higher tax brackets where they pay a higher percentage of taxes. There are also many other factors.

If people remember, no one saw how quickly the budget was going to get balanced. Every quarter the deficit was being adjusted down because of unanticipated growth in revenue from the economic growth.

I am happy to admit that budget numbers have some level of dynamism and don't respond in a straight line. As you note, there are many factors. These factors, of course, will go both ways.

But given the extraordinary differential (50% growth in GDP, 100% growth in receipts), I am not going to be convinced until you show some evidence that the dynamic factors have that big an impact.

Bracket creep, for example, can increase the rate by a percentage on income over a given level, but that is not a 50% increase in tax revenue.

[Penske_Account]

'(UPI) The terrorists saw our response to the hostage crisis in Iran.........the first World Trade Center attack, the killing of American soldiers in Somalia, the destruction of two U.S. embassies in Africa and the attack on the USS Cole,' Bush said. 'The terrorists concluded that we lacked the courage and character to defend ourselves and so they attacked us.'

Right on W! Clinton was busy diddling his little willie in the Oval Office sink while the Islamics killed America and Atta made his way towards 911.

What type of lie will Clinton try when he comes face to face wiht Satan to answer for his sins here?!?!?

[notcasesensitive]

Originally posted by Captain
Bracket creep

You should have that looked at, by the way.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
13-5

Gee, Biden, Kennedy, Feinstein, Durbin, and Schumer voted against.

Seeing that these 5 would have voted "nay" even if Bush had nominated Larry Tribe, this vote total is encouraging.

Well, you know he's getting confirmed. The other 3 voted for so they can say "send us a reasonable nominee and we'll vote yes". Same with the 20 or so Ds who will vote yes on the floor.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Well, you know he's getting confirmed. The other 3 voted for so they can say "send us a reasonable nominee and we'll vote yes". Same with the 20 or so Ds who will vote yes on the floor.

[Captain]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
You should have that looked at, by the way.

Eh, I think I have bigger problems.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Spanky
You just are not paying attention. The deficit was caused by both the diminishing economy, tax cuts and spending increases. But that is OK, because that is what you do in a recession. Cut taxes, increase spending to pull you out.

Now that we are growing again the government should cut spending. The Repubs are not doing a very good job at that but it is not like there is an alternative. If the firemen are not doing a very good job putting out fires, you don't turn the job over to the girl scouts.

Apparently on your planet you blame the girl scouts instead.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Spanky
The economy is now growing and the deficit is getting smaller. The economy was growing in the 1990s and the Republican congress balanced the budget.

You sure about that? The CBO appears to disagree with you. The 2005 deficit is projected to be 507 billion. It will drop a whopping 4 billion (less than one percent) next year, then rise to 528, then 554, then..... You get the picture.

Of course, these aren't the deficit numbers that Bush will report. These number count bonds issued to the Social Security Trust Fund as debt, rather than pretending (as Republican Presidents like to do) that these bonds are not obligations that will have to be repaid.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Penske_Account

What type of lie will Clinton try when he comes face to face wiht Satan to answer for his sins here?!?!?

I'm thinking he might ask to reup for another tour of duty.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
You should have that looked at, by the way.

Best post of the day.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
Of course, these aren't the deficit numbers that Bush will report. These number count bonds issued to the Social Security Trust Fund as debt, rather than pretending (as Republican Presidents like to do) that these bonds are not obligations that will have to be repaid.

When we use these numbers (Social Security Trust Fund), don't they show that the budget was never balanced even in the 90s?

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Spanky
When we use these numbers (Social Security Trust Fund), don't they show that the budget was never balanced even in the 90s?

No.