Anyone else

[catnipdipper]

Seems like the Republicans, at least the Tea Baggerz in the house are like Quantrill raiding Lawrence. An orgy of proposed cuts regardless of consequence. A thirst for blood and mayhem. Out on the fringe a bit.

I will say that all is discussable and all things should be looked at and then some good sense should prevail.

Worse activities in some of the Red State legislatures.

Beware all who seek power.

[mo12c]

Just a gentle reminder that Quantrill and his supporters that raided Lawrence did so because many of their wives, daughters, sisters, mothers were being held in a delapidated (sp) building in Kansas City that collapsed and killed and maimed many of them. The raid on Lawrence was in retaliation and they made it a point not to harm any women, contrary to what was being done to them and their families.

To compare Quantrill and his supporters to the republicans and tea baggers is a slap in the face to good and bad people everywhere.

[jac01]

Years of financial mismanagement by both parties has gotten us to this point. Unless tough decisions are made now, we are likely to be the next Greece or Ireland. WE ARE BROKE!! Our government is borrowing 40 cents of every dollar that is being spent. This is not sustainable. Everything has to be on the table, including the sacred cows of the Republicans (defense spending) and the Democrats (entitlements).

[CuteOldGuy]

+1 for Jac01

[yugdlo]

+1 for mo12c

[catnipdipper]

+1 for chronic flatulators!

[john_galt]

You have to admit (catnip, you don't have to) that occassionally a republican or two will stand up and target sacred cows of both parties only to get beaten back down again. You can't say the democrats have done anything other than suck the patootie of their sacred cows.

[jac01]

Rand Paul seems to be the only one in the Senate that is taking the issue seriously. then again, he is more of a libertarian than a republican. He also wrote a letter to all of the other senators on why the Patriot Act should not be renewed.

[Sleepyhollow]

+2 for jac01

[Longermonger]

How about the sacred cow of raising tax rates? Nope. Republicans freaked out at the very idea of ONLY raising tax rates for the richest 2% less than 2 months ago.

+one million for me

[Longermonger]

Originally Posted by jac01

Years of financial mismanagement by both parties has gotten us to this point. Unless tough decisions are made now, we are likely to be the next Greece or Ireland. WE ARE BROKE!! Our government is borrowing 40 cents of every dollar that is being spent. This is not sustainable. Everything has to be on the table, including the sacred cows of the Republicans (defense spending) and the Democrats (entitlements).

Please list the yearly budget of the DoD and the amount cut by the new Tea Party led Congress. If unable to do so, just list what cuts they've proposed.














Bullshit. Tea Baggers aren't serious about cutting defense spending. They'd rather reward the social conservatives that elected them with anti-womens' rights bills and union busting attempts.

[jac01]

Where did I proclaim that the Tea Party was doing this correctly? I mentioned Rand Paul, who floated a proposal to cut $500 billion from the budget. What I've noticed about you, Monger, is that you constantly mischaracterize the position and of those who you disagree with. That's probably why people choose not to engage in debate with you because you are not an honest broker and the exercise becomes pointless.

As far as what I would propose in defense spending cuts, I'd close all overseas military bases for starters and bring those troops home. It's time for the rest of the world to take care of themselves and stop running with their hands out to us for monetary and military assistance. We've got enough problems here, and enough Americans who I would rather help as opposed to giving money to countries ruled by dictators who don't even allow the U.S. aid to reach those it is intended to help. I support Israel's right to exist, but seriously, how long do we have to keep sending them military aid? They have one of the world's largest stockpiles of nuclear weapons if I remember correctly. They should be more than capable of taking care of themselves. The bipartisan agreement (which only passed because of those "Teabaggers" you love to hate) to scrap the alternative engine that even the Pentagon didn't want is also something that I support. The purpose of the military is national defense, not job creation back in some Congressman's district.

When it comes to raising taxes on the evil, disgusting, putrid, vile rich people that the left hates so much, what amount of the income tax burden should the top 1% pay? The last figures that I saw had the top 1% earning just over 20% of the total income, yet they pay 39% of the total income taxes. I'd say that they are paying their fair share. I'm definitely not rich, but I don't hate them nor do I have wealth envy. The figures that came out last year revealed that the bottom 47% do not pay any federal income tax. Kind of hard for the President to say that everyone has to have "skin in the game" when nearly half of the country is enjoying essentially a free ride. Many of the super rich also wouldn't suffer the hit of an income tax hike. The Warren Buffett's and trust fund babies earn interest on their investments and live off of that, so they don't pay income tax. You'd have to come up with another way to try and get them, such as increasing capital gains taxes but do we really want to punish saving and investing when a big reason why the economy tanked was due to reckless borrowing and spending?

[Philhelm]

Originally Posted by Longermonger

Please list the yearly budget of the DoD and the amount cut by the new Tea Party led Congress. If unable to do so, just list what cuts they've proposed.

Bullshit. Tea Baggers aren't serious about cutting defense spending. They'd rather reward the social conservatives that elected them with anti-womens' rights bills and union busting attempts.

There are different elements within the Tea Party and its sympathizers, just as there are many types of "liberals" and "conservatives." The Tea Party originated before 2008, as part of a fund-raising campaign for Congressman Ron Paul, a Republican who would most definitely cut military costs and remove our troops from bases across the globe.

Interesting fact: In Afghanistan, more U.S. troops have died during Obama's term, than in Bush's two terms combined. This isn't to praise Bush or villify Obama, but the point is that the two aren't all that different. The difference between the Democrat and Republican parties is a matter of degree, rather than kind. The only real difference is the marketing strategies they use to gain votes.

[lakecat]

I agree, a pox on both their houses. I also think they are both bound at the hips to keep the scam going, so there will never be true reform of government, the taxe system or spending, in either the liberal or conservative direction.

Having said that and despite being no fan of John McCain (who probably can't even spell conservative, much less think or act like one), I don't think there's much question he would NOT have proposed or accepted the devastating spending spree that Obama and the Dems have rammed through. So there is a difference, but just in degrees as noted before.

And Longer, as a Tea Party supporter, I'm very supportive of defense spending. Our armed forces are far and away the best in the world at what they do, but they are extremely inefficient in doing it. Everything has to be on the table, WE"RE BROKE!!