One of the great legacies of the Bush Administration is further proof that tax cuts work. They stimulate the economy. They put people to work. They are a just-plain-good thing.
Now, the Bush Administration screwed up, and badly, by not cutting domestic spending. Those of us who supported Steve Forbes up until the end of the 2000 convention are justified in going “I Told You So”. And so we shall. But Bush’s tax cuts have given us an economy that, by any rational measure (except Lexus/Nexus hits) is one of the best ever.
Oh, the Democrats will barber than they starve the government of revenue – which, of course, exposes the central problem with their thesis; the role of our society is not to keep government afloat first and foremost.
The Dems have that wrong – aggressively so. And they want to “fix” that – to put government at what they call its’ rightful place in the fiscal food chain, way up front.
Jay Reding on the Dems’ plan to gut the US economy:
To [re-raise taxes] would be to erase the millions of jobs created in the past few years, introduce a huge amount of uncertainty into the market, and ensure that businesses would delay job-creating capital investments until they know what the tax consequences of those choices would be. The Asian markets had a massive sell-off because of similar fears, and the same would happen in America if there was a credible threat of a major capital gains tax increase…However, the worst thing that could happen is for the Democrats to raise taxes, spurring another selloff and then add more to the already burdened entitlement system. That is also precisely what the Democrats want to do — which is why the President should be prepared to veto any bill that raises capital gains taxes beyond the current level.
The economic reality is that capital gains taxes are economically wasteful — they don’t generate much revenue and they hurt economic growth, reducing tax revenues in other areas. Even if a 0% capital gains rate isn’t politically acceptable, neither is a return to a time when capital gains rates were acting as an anchor on economic growth.
It’s here, again, that elections matter. It’s here that we pay for having the likes of Amy Klobuchar and Tim Waltz in Congress; their philosophy is “government comes first”.
I’ll certainly admit that economy isn’t my strong suit, but as far as every indication I’ve been hearing goes, our economy is in pretty serious shape right now and is poised to tank if it takes too many more hits.
I think employment numbers are currently OK although there is quite a bit of underemployment but the housing market is precipitously close to bursting especially in light of the pending subprime lending implosion, the investment profile of the market has been getting somewhat unbalanced (I don’t really understand the whole derivatives thing but apparently, we’ve got too many of them), the strength of the US dollar against foreign currencies is fairly low, the fed has literally doubled the amount of currency in circulation over the last decade, there’s some concern with “the unwinding of the carry trade” where investment firms bet against the Japanese yen and things are looking bad there, etc.
The flooding of currency by the fed will make the economy look good for a while, but its unfortunately got to fold back in. If that fold back in happens gradually, its not bad, but the general sense I have of things is that we’re seriously looking at a potential implosion.
Paedrus wrote: ” . . . but as far as every indication I’ve been hearing goes, our economy is in pretty serious shape right now and is poised to tank if it takes too many more hits.”
You mean the stockmarket at a near record high while the unemployment rate is at a near record low? Mortgage rates under 7%?
I think the speculation that the housing market will crash comes mostly from east coast and west coast pundits. The subprime mortgage market has by and large been driven by people who make $40k/year trying to buy a forty year old house in a non-descript California subdivision for 750k with nothing down.
Tim and Amy are just making sure you and your fellow baby boomers don’t leave without paying the check. Those of us in the younger generation do not want to pay the bill you have rung up.
Well, Terry, perhaps my gut’s wrong, we’re not sitting on a bubble waiting to burst and everything is going to be fine. Time will tell. I’m stuck in my house for now and any spare cash I have goes towards fixing the inevitable stuff that goes wrong with it so I won’t be doing much in the market any time soon. I guess we’ll just wait and see.
I’ve got a pretty good interest rate locked in and as long as I stay employed, I should be able to ride it out. Beyond that, there’s pretty much squat I can do about it anyway.
Tell you what.
If at the end of the day on March 22nd 2008, the market and the economy are doing the same or better, I’ll buy Mitch, you and, say, up to 4 other regulars here a round of drinks at Keegan’s (please be nice and don’t go for the Redbreast). If it isn’t, y’all can buy me six beers through the evening.
We’ll use three factors.
The overall market:
Dow Close 12461.14
Nasdaq Close 2451.74
S&P Close 1434.54
http://www.nasdaq.com/
(we can take the percent change in each, add the percentages together. if the total is positive, you get it, if it is negative, I do.)
The federal funds rate:
5.25% (stable since June, 2006)
http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/fundsrate.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
The national unemployment rate:
4.5% (more or less stable since September, 2006)
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
Anyway, Terry and Mitch, if you’re up for a friendly wager and the chance to get together and either tell me you told me so and get a free pint or tell me how the crash was all the Democrats’ fault and buy me some rounds, let me know.
I’m cool with Mitch being the one who gets to remind us of this a year from now if everyone else is…
And here we see the RickDFL – and by extension, all too many lefties’ – school of argument. Start with an unsupportable premise. Repeat it until everyone wants to kill you. Shout “Help! I’m being oppressed! Come see the violence inherent in the system!”
You’re more a boomer than I am, Rick.
(repost as the prior one didn’t seem to go through. i apologize if this doubles)
Well, Terry, perhaps my gut’s wrong, we’re not sitting on a bubble waiting to burst and everything is going to be fine. Time will tell. I’m stuck in my house for now and any spare cash I have goes towards fixing the inevitable stuff that goes wrong with it so I won’t be doing much in the market any time soon. I guess we’ll just wait and see.
I’ve got a pretty good interest rate locked in and as long as I stay employed, I should be able to ride it out. Beyond that, there’s pretty much squat I can do about it anyway.
Tell you what.
If at the end of the day on March 22nd 2008, the market and the economy are doing the same or better, I’ll buy Mitch, you and, say, up to 4 other regulars here a round of drinks at Keegan’s (please be nice and don’t go for the Redbreast). If it isn’t, y’all can buy me six beers through the evening.
We’ll use three factors.
The overall market:
Dow Close 12461.14
Nasdaq Close 2451.74
S&P Close 1434.54
http://www.nasdaq.com/
(we can take the percent change in each, add the percentages together. if the total is positive, you get it, if it is negative, I do.)
The federal funds rate:
5.25% (stable since June, 2006)
http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/fundsrate.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
The national unemployment rate:
4.5% (more or less stable since September, 2006)
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
Anyway, Terry and Mitch, if you’re up for a friendly wager and the chance to get together and either tell me you told me so and get a free pint or tell me how the crash was all the Democrats’ fault and buy me some rounds, let me know.
I’m cool with Mitch being the one who gets to remind us of this a year from now if everyone else is…
Well, with a little more leadership from the White House, a guy like Walz wouldn’t have been elected in the first district. And a certain Webb wouldn’t be sitting in the Senate.
Let’s see what I, as what RickDFL calls a boomer, can do about the bill I’ve rung up.
I know! I can give Social Security an interest free $300k loan. Oh wait, I’m already doing that.
Mitch:
What premise did I misstate?
Terry:
Sorry, but you and the rest of the U.S. owe the holders U.S. Treasury bonds almost 9 trillion dollars. You have taken out way more than your 300K. You are not a creditor, your a debtor. We of the younger generation would like you to at least stop running up the tab so much.
Well Terry, perhaps my gut’s wrong, we’re not sitting on a bubble waiting to burst and everything is going to be fine. Time will tell. I’m stuck in my house for now and any spare cash I have goes towards fixing the inevitable stuff that goes wrong with it so I won’t be doing much in the market any time soon. I guess we’ll just wait and see.
I’ve got a pretty good interest rate locked in and as long as I stay employed, I should be able to ride it out. Beyond that, there’s pretty much squat I can do about it anyway.
Tell you what.
If at the end of the day on March 22nd 2008, the market and the economy are doing the same or better, I’ll buy Mitch, you and, say, up to 4 other regulars here a round of drinks at Keegan’s (please be nice and don’t go for the Redbreast). If it isn’t, y’all can buy me six beers through the evening.
We’ll use three factors.
The overall market:
Dow Close 12461.14
Nasdaq Close 2451.74
S and P Close 1434.54
http://www.nasdaq.com/
(we can take the percent change in each, add the percentages together. if the total is positive, you get it, if it is negative, I do.)
The federal funds rate:
5.25% (stable since June, 2006)
http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/fundsrate.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
The national unemployment rate:
4.5% (more or less stable since September, 2006)
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
Anyway, Terry and Mitch, if you’re up for a friendly wager and the chance to get together and either tell me you told me so and get a free pint or tell me how the crash was all the Democrats’ fault and buy me some rounds, let me know.
I’m cool with Mitch being the one who gets to remind us of this a year from now if everyone else is…
odd. I’ve made 3 attempts to leave another response here and none of them have shown up.
Well Terry, perhaps my gut’s wrong, we’re not sitting on a bubble waiting to burst and everything is going to be fine. Time will tell. I’m stuck in my house for now and any spare cash I have goes towards fixing the inevitable stuff that goes wrong with it so I won’t be doing much in the market any time soon. I guess we’ll just wait and see.
I’ve got a pretty good interest rate locked in and as long as I stay employed, I should be able to ride it out. Beyond that, there’s pretty much squat I can do about it anyway.
Tell you what.
If at the end of the day on March 22nd 2008, the market and the economy are doing the same or better, I’ll buy Mitch, you and, say, up to 4 other regulars here a round of drinks at Keegan’s (please be nice and don’t go for the Redbreast). If it isn’t, y’all can buy me six beers through the evening.
We’ll use three factors.
The overall market:
Dow Close 12461.14
Nasdaq Close 2451.74
S and P Close 1434.54
http://www.nasdaq.com
(we can take the percent change in each, add the percentages together. if the total is positive, you get it, if it is negative, I do.)
The federal funds rate:
5.25% (stable since June, 2006)
http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/fundsrate.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
The national unemployment rate:
4.5% (more or less stable since September, 2006)
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
Anyway, Terry and Mitch, if you’re up for a friendly wager and the chance to get together and either tell me you told me so and get a free pint or tell me how the crash was all the Democrats’ fault and buy me some rounds, let me know.
I’m cool with Mitch being the one who gets to remind us of this a year from now if everyone else is. Someone should probably check my numbers.
Well Terry, perhaps my gut’s wrong, we’re not sitting on a bubble waiting to burst and everything is going to be fine. Time will tell. I’m stuck in my house for now and any spare cash I have goes towards fixing the inevitable stuff that goes wrong with it so I won’t be doing much in the market any time soon. I guess we’ll just wait and see.
I’ve got a pretty good interest rate locked in and as long as I stay employed, I should be able to ride it out. Beyond that, there’s pretty much squat I can do about it anyway.
Tell you what.
If at the end of the day on March 22nd 2008, the market and the economy are doing the same or better, I’ll buy Mitch, you and, say, up to 4 other regulars here a round of drinks at Keegan’s (please be nice and don’t go for the Redbreast). If it isn’t, y’all can buy me six beers through the evening.
We’ll use three factors.
The overall market:
Dow Close 12461.14
Nasdaq Close 2451.74
S and P Close 1434.54
http://www.nasdaq.com
(we can take the percent change in each, add the percentages together. if the total is positive, you get it, if it is negative, I do.)
The federal funds rate:
5.25% (stable since June, 2006)
http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/fundsrate.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
The national unemployment rate:
4.5% (more or less stable since September, 2006)
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
Anyway, Terry and Mitch, if you’re up for a friendly wager and the chance to get together and either tell me you told me so and get a free pint or tell me how the crash was all the Democrats’ fault and buy me some rounds, let me know.
I’m cool with Mitch being the one who gets to remind us of this a year from now if everyone else is. Someone should probably check my numbers.
Tell you what.
If at the end of the day on March 22nd 2008, the market and the economy are doing the same or better, I’ll buy Mitch, you and, say, up to 4 other regulars here a round of drinks at Keegan’s (please be nice and don’t go for the Redbreast). If it isn’t, y’all can buy me six beers through the evening.
We’ll use three factors, best two out of three takes it.
The overall market – The close in the Dow, Nasdaq and Standards Poor. If the total of the sum of the percentages is positive, you get the point. If its negative, I do.
The federal funds rate – if it stays the same or goes down, you get it. If it goes up, I do.
The national unemployment rate – if it stays the same or goes down, you get it. If it goes up, I do.
Dow Close 12461.14
Nasdaq Close 2451.74
S and P Close 1434.54
http://www.nasdaq.com
(we can take the percent change in each, add the percentages together. if the total is positive, you get it, if it is negative, I do.)
The federal funds rate:
5.25% (stable since June, 2006)
http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/fundsrate.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
The national unemployment rate:
4.5% (more or less stable since September, 2006)
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
(if it stays the same or goes down, you get it, if it goes up, I get it.)
Anyway, Terry and Mitch, if you’re up for a friendly wager and the chance to get together and either tell me you told me so and get a free pint or tell me how the crash was all the Democrats’ fault and buy me some rounds, let me know.
I’m cool with Mitch being the one who gets to remind us of this a year from now if everyone else is. Someone should probably check my numbers.
Market (from http://www.nasdaq.com)
Dow Close : 12461.14
Nasdaq Close : 2451.74
S and P Close : 1434.54
The federal funds rate (from http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/fundsrate.htm)
5.25 percent (stable since June of 2006)
The national unemployment rate:
4.5% (more or less stable since September of 2006)
Anyway, Terry and Mitch, if you’re up for a friendly wager and the chance to get together and either tell me you told me so and get a free pint or tell me how the crash was all the Democrats’ fault and buy me some rounds, let me know.
Someone should probably check my numbers.
Market (from http://www.nasdaq.com)
Dow Close : 12461.14
Nasdaq Close : 2451.74
S and P Close : 1434.54
The federal funds rate (from http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/fundsrate.htm)
5.25 percent (stable since June of 2006)
The national unemployment rate:
4.5 percent (more or less stable since September of 2006)
Anyway, Terry and Mitch, if you’re up for a friendly wager and the chance to get together and either tell me you told me so and get a free pint or tell me how the crash was all the Democrats’ fault and buy me some rounds, let me know.
Someone should probably check my numbers.
Market (from http://www.nasdaq.com)
Dow Close : 12461.14
Nasdaq Close : 2451.74
S and P Close : 1434.54
The federal funds rate (from http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/fundsrate.htm)
5.25 percent (stable since June of 2006)
The national unemployment rate (from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm)
4.5 percent (more or less stable since September of 2006)
Anyway, Terry and Mitch, if you’re up for a friendly wager and the chance to get together and either tell me you told me so and get a free pint or tell me how the crash was all the Democrats’ fault and buy me some rounds, let me know.
Someone should probably check my numbers.
ah! got it figured out. the http colon slash slash on the links makes things not post. good to know for the future.
It just occurred to me though, I think Terry’s the one in Hawaii.
Damn.
So, Mitch? Any interest? I don’t want to dig myself in for too many drinks as my personal financial situation tends to be somewhat volatile, but I’d wager up to six if any of your other local readers want to get in on it.
I figure its win/win. If I’m right and the economy sucks, I get some brews. If I’m wrong and have to pony up, at least the economy will be good. Either way, I’ll have an excuse to go to Keegan’s (not that I need one).
That’s not a bet I’d want to take. Too many unknowables, too much is out of the control of the Greenspans of the world. But the indicators now are just as good or better than they were in the late 80’s. Any mortgage under 10% used to be considered good.
I try to avoid pessimism. I guess I’d rather speak as a social prognosticator rather than an economist: people who don’t like the way the prez or congress are governing _now_ always claim the future is grim, regardless of the economic indicators. Maybe that’s part of the huge divide between the economic left & right. The right says we must grow our economy or perish and the left says we we will perish if we grow the economy.
I can remember the 70’s and 80’s. High unemployment, high inflation, and depressed home values in the midwest. You damn near had to take out a second mortgage just to buy a 27″ television.
Anyway my next trip to the mainland isn’t scheduled until 2009, insh’ allah. My last trip home was July 2006. I don’t get to the mainland very often. I was surprised to see how dynamic the Twin Cities has become. Seventy mile an hour freeways, North Branch is now considered a distant suburb, the old empty brick factories are being converted into condos. Even sleepy, decaying old Stillwater is full of yuppie money.
Gee, RickDFL, you might want to talk to Doug. He thinks that a five year, 67% budget increase for the VA is so stingy it’s little better than kick to a veteran’s crotch.
Personally I tend towards federalism. Y’know, the federal government should restrict its interest to what it is constitutionally mandated to do. No social security, no medicare, but 15,000 nuclear warheads & a 750 billion dollar defense budget.
Terry said,
Gee, RickDFL, you might want to talk to Doug. He thinks that a five year, 67% budget increase for the VA is so stingy it’s little better than kick to a veteran’s crotch.”
Actually Rick, what I said was that the funding for TBI’s was cut while the number of troops returning with serious TBI’s has increased. And I said that there aren’t enough qualified caseworkers to deal with the injured troops.
Terry has a problem with telling the truth…
Also, I didn’t say the 67% increase was stingy. I simply said that the increases aren’t enough to deal with the problems the VA system is seeing.
Terry seems to believe that if you throw an arbitrary dollar figure at a problem that the problem should be fixed.
Macro 101 would say that deficit spending, not tax cuts, has boosted the economy temporarly. Economically deficit spending is by definition a tax increase on the future. A marginal tax cut WILL NOT increase GDP enough to pay for the tax cut. Basically we are borrowing money to give it to people spend through Medicare, SS, Military, etc. Someday we have to pay it back.
The stock market is a lagging indicator. Greenspan has warned of a recession. The WSJ editorial board is concerned about a recession.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=330733
“Since the beginning of the economic recovery in November 2001, employment in the housing and housing-related industries has accounted for 43% of the increase in private-sector payrolls, according to Asha Bangalore, an economist for Northern Trust Corp.”
The auto and housing industries are already in recessions that will likely spill over into the rest of the economy. The national savings rate doesn’t exist.
Frankly I think we see the economy go into a recession in the latter half of 2007.
The VA budget is $71 billion. The ‘budget cut’ Doug is talking about is reducing TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) from 14 million/yr to 9 million/yr. that’s a ‘cut’ of, well, 5/71,000 for the VA.
It’s darn near impossible to make that much up in increased efficiency, especially if it might mean that VA employees have to work MLK day or President’s Day like the rest of us slobs.
Not that that matters to Doug, RickDFL. More and more money, that’s what all government agencies need. They will never, ever, have enough. Your pocket will never be so empty that they cannot find a few more pennies to take.
Keep on the rant, Doug! Say, what are you guys doing with the almost thirty billion dollar increase Bush has handed you guys in the VA since 2001? Got new computers with LCD monitors at $5000 each? Maybe the middle and upper managers will finally get to attend those high priority seminars in Florida or Hawaii this winter?
Terry said,
“Doug! Say, what are you guys doing with the almost thirty billion dollar increase Bush has handed you guys in the VA since 2001?”
I don’t work for the VA. I said in another post that I spend a couple days a month there because I have clients who receive services there – not that accuracy and facts matter to Terry. By the way, TBI funding goes directly to research and rehabilitation. It doesn’t pay for Golf junkets or for teenaged prostitutes in the Marianas islands like it would for CEO’s in the private sector.
Poor Terry. You’re obviously angry about having to pay taxes for injured Veterans.
“Doug! Say, what are you guys doing with the almost thirty billion dollar increase Bush has handed you guys in the VA since 2001? Got new computers with LCD monitors at $5000 each?”
Yes, we wouldn’t want the tools required to manage the healthcare for the guys who served in the military. You really are a moron Terry.
Terry:
“No social security, no medicare, but 15,000 nuclear warheads & a 750 billion dollar defense budget.”
Glad some Republicans still have the courage of their convictions. Please give us lots of GOP candidates running on this platform.
and Terry whines about the VA purchasing computers with LCD monitors?
Does anyone else remember the hammers $900.00 hammers or toilet seats that the Dept of Defense bought?
Doug:
Lets not drag up ancient history when the present is so full of chewy goodness. How about the $9 billion dollars the CPA lost it Iraq.
Not that it really matters but if anyone other than a serious CPU cruncher spends over $1200 or so on a desktop computer with a 17 or 19″ LCD monitor, they’re throwing money away.
As for the bet, I kind of made the offer because it doesn’t really matter who wins – it just adds a bit of fun to watching the economy and an excuse to get together for drinks in a year.
For the record, I’m pretty much a federalist as well. Far more socialist than most of the denizens of these territories but my socialism tends towards the state/city level. I believe the federal government should be thin and mainly focused on international relations, defense, arbitrating interstate conflicts, and being the ultimate defender of the Constitution and the rights and responsibilities therein.
As far as military budget, it seems a bit overinflated. Have you seen Ben Cohen’s demonstrations? Nice way of making the points visually. Check out the Oreo and BB demonstrations. You can check out the other two if you’d like but I find the Operation one a bit snarky and the Toast The Earth off topic:
http://www.truemajority.org/fun/
So, Mitch, care for a bet? We can just make it a drink if you’d like. Hell, I’ll take either side.
Hey Doug you shouldn’t use the word ‘moron’ in the same comment about soldiers with TBI. Makes you appear insensitive.
Phaedrus-
“I believe the federal government should be thin and mainly focused on international relations, defense, arbitrating interstate conflicts, and being the ultimate defender of the Constitution and the rights and responsibilities therein.”
Well said & I think this is what the founders intended, and for good reason. This is not a weak federal government, but a federal government with clearly defined responsibilities.
The problem I think many on the left have with such a view of federalism is that it is like global capitalism; socialism works to distribute scarce resources more evenly than the market, which provides a disincentive for the wealthy to stay within the socialist system. If they can move their wealth out of the system they will.
If California, for example, decides to tax millionaires at a high rate to finance preschool for the poor, there is nothing to stop the millionaires from moving their money to Nevada.
Global capitalism acts the same way on an international scale. Because it limits the ability of the state to economically manage distribution of wealth in a country I’ve heard it called the “Iron cage of capitalism” (by socialists) and the “Golden cage of capitalism” (by capitalists).
Hey Doug you shouldn’t use the word ‘moron’ in the same comment about soldiers with TBI. Makes you appear insensitive.
eh?
I must have missed something here. Can you connect the dots?
Phaedrus:
http://www.shotinthedark.info/wp/index.php/index.php/2007/03/22/reinforcing-failure/#comment-9222
Doug wrote:
“You’re obviously angry about having to pay taxes for injured Veterans.”
And Kreskin gets it wrong again! Maybe you’d do better in these discussions if you actually addressed what people wrote instead of trying to divine their emotional state and the thoughts behind their reasoning. I still get a chuckle over time you called me a war profiteer.
Rick said,
“How about the $9 billion dollars the CPA lost it Iraq.”
Lost. He he he. That’s a good one.
Phaedrus said,
“Not that it really matters but if anyone other than a serious CPU cruncher spends over $1200 or so on a desktop computer with a 17 or 19″ LCD monitor, they’re throwing money away.”
It was Terry that insinuated that the VA spent $5000 on a single computer and monitor. I’m sure he can produce evidence to back up his claim.
And only Terry would try to associate a traumatic brain injury suffered by a member of the American military with being a moron.
“Maybe you’d do better in these discussions if you actually addressed what people wrote”
Go back and read everything you’ve written about this subject. From one post alone…;
“It’s darn near impossible to make that much up in increased efficiency, especially if it might mean that VA employees have to work MLK day or President’s Day like the rest of us slobs.”
“More and more money, that’s what all government agencies need. They will never, ever, have enough. Your pocket will never be so empty that they cannot find a few more pennies to take.”
Keep on the rant, Doug! Say, what are you guys doing with the almost thirty billion dollar increase Bush has handed you guys in the VA since 2001? Got new computers with LCD monitors at $5000 each?”
“Maybe the middle and upper managers will finally get to attend those high priority seminars in Florida or Hawaii this winter?”
Yup. I’d say just by the tone alone, you’re angry, bitter, resentful and petty.
Re: Hey Doug you shouldn’t use the word ‘moron’ in the same comment about soldiers with TBI. Makes you appear insensitive.
I saw the comment that this was referring to, I just didn’t see how the word moron was at all related with soldiers with TBI.
The problem I think many on the left have with such a view of federalism is that it is like global capitalism; socialism works to distribute scarce resources more evenly than the market, which provides a disincentive for the wealthy to stay within the socialist system. If they can move their wealth out of the system they will.
If California, for example, decides to tax millionaires at a high rate to finance preschool for the poor, there is nothing to stop the millionaires from moving their money to Nevada.
Global capitalism acts the same way on an international scale. Because it limits the ability of the state to economically manage distribution of wealth in a country I’ve heard it called the “Iron cage of capitalism” (by socialists) and the “Golden cage of capitalism” (by capitalists).
I guess I _more or less_ agree with the socialists on this but I think that a state is pretty much the biggest unit of population where democratic socialism can really work.
Basically, my take would be to do all taxation based on the “god given” resources at a state’s command (land, minerals, water). Those who use it, utilize it, or figure out how to profit from it, or have stewardship pay taxes on it unless their use is seen as such a good thing by society that they are given a waiver on it.
As far as moving your wealth, it wouldn’t then matter because the wealth you move is not wealth you are taxed on.
Of course, it would be up to each state to determine its own means of raising taxes so we’d see an interesting experiment. Obviously, states that taxed bank accounts would suddenly see few bank accounts kept in their state. (Clearly, I’m against all federal or international taxes, the federal government should get its funds from the states and it should be up to each state how it will raise those funds. Yes, we’ll have to have discussions of how much each state should be beholden to pay but I prefer that to our current situation)
It’s not phaedrus. Terry is just trying to connect them in hopes that someone would hastily read his comment and conclude that I was calling the guys with TBI’s morons.
That’s the way these guys work.
“And only Terry would try to associate a traumatic brain injury suffered by a member of the American military with being a moron.”
Well, maybe it didn’t happen in the military but the left half of my skull has been replaced with titanium plates. Let’s just say that Memorial Day weekend, 2000, does not hold pleasant memories for me. And for God’s sake make your kids wear a bicycle helmet.
You may recommence calling a head injury victim a moron now.
Terry said,
“You may recommence calling a head injury victim a moron now.”
Terry, as you are well aware, I didn’t call a head injury victim a moron. I called you a moron. To accuse me of that would require that I had prior knowledge that you had a head injury. Since this is the first I’ve heard about your injury, your charge is complete bullshit.
Further Terry, the word moron indicates a level of inherent intelligence. A persons actions, words or executive functioning due to a brain injury has ZERO to do with their intelligence. I would have thought that someone who actually suffered a head injury would be sensitive enough not to even suggest a connection.
Terry said,
“You may recommence calling a head injury victim a moron now.”
Terry, as you are well aware, I didn’t call a head injury victim a moron. I called you a moron. To accuse me of that would require that I had prior knowledge that you had a head injury. Since this is the first I’ve heard about your injury, your charge is complete bullshit.
Further Terry, the word moron indicates a level of inherent intelligence. A persons actions, words or executive functioning due to a brain injury has ZERO to do with their intelligence. I would have thought that someone who actually suffered a head injury would be sensitive enough not to even suggest a connection.
Sorry about the duplicate post. Just closing tag.
Jeepers, Doug, I was just trying to illustrate the point that you really know nothing about me or what forms my opinions unless I explicitly say so. As it happens I got through the fractured skull thing with no brain damage. When I get old(er) and my hair falls out and the interesting geometry of my skull is revealed I will answer all questions by muttering that I got it in “The War” & speak no more.
Terry said,
“Jeepers, Doug, I was just trying to illustrate the point that you really know nothing about me or what forms my opinions unless I explicitly say so.”
Funny, it was you that said,
you might want to talk to Doug. He thinks that a five year, 67% budget increase for the VA is so stingy it’s little better than kick to a veteran’s crotch.”
And you deduced that from my statement that the VA is having problems handling the increased caseload?
Do you even get the absurd level of double standard you are employing here?
You didn’t make a “statement that the VA is having problems handling the increased caseload?”. You said that Bush had callously cut the TBI budget for the VA, and said this was proof that he didn’t care about the troops.
The facts are quite different. The whole firestorm about the cut began with a story in USA Today, http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-08-08-brain-center_x.htm
That story specifies congress, not the White House, as the source of the cuts. The story doesn’t even mention Bush by name or office.
The story includes this interesting line:
“Zitnay asked for $19 million, and 34 Democratic and six Republican members of Congress signed a letter endorsing the budget request.”
So we know that just 40 out of 341 congressmen felt strongly enough about the program to defend its budget increase in writing.
The article ends with:
“The center has clashed with the Pentagon in recent months over a program to identify troops who have suffered mild to moderate brain injuries in Iraq from mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and roadside bombs — the most common weapons used by insurgents.
Preliminary research by the center shows that about 10% of all troops in Iraq, and up to 20% of front line infantry troops, suffer concussions during combat tours. Many experience headaches, disturbed sleep, memory loss and behavior issues after coming home, the research shows.
The center urged the Pentagon to screen all troops returning from Iraq in order to treat symptoms and create a database of brain injury victims. Scientists say multiple concussions can cause permanent brain damage.
The Pentagon so far has declined to do the screening and argues that more research is needed.”
So the disagreement isn’t between the president and the VA, it’s between congress, the pentagon, and a sub-unit within the VA. Do you lack reading comprehension skills? Do you simply take any anti-bush storyline at face value?
Terry said,
“You didn’t make a “statement that the VA is having problems handling the increased caseload?”. You said that Bush had callously cut the TBI budget for the VA, and said this was proof that he didn’t care about the troops.”
Really? What’s this?
http://www.shotinthedark.info/wp/index.php/index.php/2007/03/12/your-moment-of-dumb-or-that-vaunted-lefty-tolerance/#comment-6343
Just in case those titanium plates in your head make it difficult for you to follow links, here’s what it says,
“I spend about 2 days a month at the VA dealing with Veterans who have drug, alcohol, PTSD and TBI’s.
The people I work with inside the VA are concerned that they are not equipped to handle the problems they are starting to see. Further, the funding for TBI’s is getting cut and there aren’t enough qualified caseworkers to deal with the number of guys coming back with serious psychological disorders.
That’s directly related to the administrations failures Mitch and there is no one to blame but the President. “
Now, here’s another story about funding for TBI’s. I’t essentially that same as the one you posted but with a bit more information.
http://www.newsobserver.com/110/story/480210.html
I liked this part especially.
The Pentagon asked only for $7 million and didn’t respond properly when congressional staffers tried to find out whether it needed more money for the program, said Jenny Manley, a spokeswoman for the Senate appropriations committee.
“The Pentagon needs to get behind the things that they want,” she said. “Otherwise, we’d just be kind of guessing about what they really need.”
Pentagon budget experts did not respond Monday to a request for information on why they had not sought more money.
So Terry, Congress did what was asked of it didn’t they. Oh and, by the way Terry, who establishes the National budget? Is it the President or Congress?
Here’s another story about Bush cutting funding for TBI’s for the general population which also incidently benefits Vets and active duty injured military.
You’ll have to follow a link to the NYT from inside of this post but I think you can handle it.
http://www.braininjurylawblog.com/brain-injury-news-president-bushs-proposed-2006-budget-cuts-funding-for-traumatic-brain-injury-programs.html
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 – President Bush’s budget for 2006 cuts spending for a wide range of public health programs, including several to protect the nation against bioterrorist attacks and to respond to medical emergencies, budget documents show… …The budget would also eliminate a $9 million program for the treatment of people with traumatic brain injury
Terry said,
“You didn’t make a “statement that the VA is having problems handling the increased caseload?”. You said that Bush had callously cut the TBI budget for the VA, and said this was proof that he didn’t care about the troops.”
Really? What’s this?
http://www.shotinthedark.info/wp/index.php/index.php/2007/03/12/your-moment-of-dumb-or-that-vaunted-lefty-tolerance/#comment-6343
Just in case those titanium plates in your head make it difficult for you to follow links, here’s what it says,
“I spend about 2 days a month at the VA dealing with Veterans who have drug, alcohol, PTSD and TBI’s.
The people I work with inside the VA are concerned that they are not equipped to handle the problems they are starting to see. Further, the funding for TBI’s is getting cut and there aren’t enough qualified caseworkers to deal with the number of guys coming back with serious psychological disorders.
That’s directly related to the administrations failures Mitch and there is no one to blame but the President. “
Now, here’s another story about funding for TBI’s. I’t essentially that same as the one you posted but with a bit more information.
http://www.newsobserver.com/110/story/480210.html
I liked this part especially.
The Pentagon asked only for $7 million and didn’t respond properly when congressional staffers tried to find out whether it needed more money for the program, said Jenny Manley, a spokeswoman for the Senate appropriations committee.
“The Pentagon needs to get behind the things that they want,” she said. “Otherwise, we’d just be kind of guessing about what they really need.”
Pentagon budget experts did not respond Monday to a request for information on why they had not sought more money.
So Terry, Congress did what was asked of it didn’t they. Oh and, by the way Terry, who establishes the National budget? Is it the President or Congress?
Word Press isn’t accepting my post so I’ll have to do it in parts.
Terry said,
“You didn’t make a “statement that the VA is having problems handling the increased caseload?”. You said that Bush had callously cut the TBI budget for the VA, and said this was proof that he didn’t care about the troops.”
Really? What’s this?
http://www.shotinthedark.info/wp/index.php/index.php/2007/03/12/your-moment-of-dumb-or-that-vaunted-lefty-tolerance/#comment-6343
Just in case those titanium plates in your head make it difficult for you to follow links, here’s what it says,
“I spend about 2 days a month at the VA dealing with Veterans who have drug, alcohol, PTSD and TBI’s.
The people I work with inside the VA are concerned that they are not equipped to handle the problems they are starting to see. Further, the funding for TBI’s is getting cut and there aren’t enough qualified caseworkers to deal with the number of guys coming back with serious psychological disorders.
That’s directly related to the administrations failures Mitch and there is no one to blame but the President. “