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» Hatrack River Forum » Active Forums » Books, Films, Food and Culture » The Budget, The Deficit, and the National Debt

   
Author Topic: The Budget, The Deficit, and the National Debt
Lyrhawn
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I know people don't like taxes, as a struggling student paying his way through school, I don't either.

The National Debt today is $7,623,393,028,778.05
That's according to the US Department of the Treasury and that's current as of 2/8/05.

The National Deficit for 2004 was $412 Billion and it is projected to be at least $427 Billion in 2005.

Every year we pay interest in the national debt totalling more than 260 Billion dollars, which is fourth behind National defense, Social Security and Medicare. Interest payments are more than education, health and human services, the EPA, NASA, Housing, Veteran's Affairs, and a few other programs combined.

Every fifth dollar the government spends this year will be borrowed, and much of the money we borrow comes from China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, and most of China's is from the massive trade deficit, which results in more or less free money for them.

I think the current state of American finances is ridiculous. We need to cut spending yes, but we need to drastically increase revenues to pay down the debt. Paying down the debt means we have more money from interest payments we won't have to make, and that's more money to pay down the debt. Taxes need to be raised for the purpose of paying down the debt and improving America's financial situation. Even with Bush's massive spending cuts and program slashes, the deficit will still be over 200 billion dollars next year, and that only increases the national debt.

Does anyone have any better ideas?

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Synesthesia
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For one thing, is it really, really logical to have a massive tax cut for the upper 1% during a war?
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kaioshin00
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Search for gold?
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Book
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Maybe there's gold in Iraq, like in that one movie with Marky Mark?
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The Silverblue Sun
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We should give the American Billionaires larger tax cuts.

Hear me out. Everybody knows that Billionaires are Americas #1 Jobs creators, honestly, these are the only people who know how to make companies and make them work!

We should reward them for their great sacrafices, and in doing so they will create more and more and more jobs, more jobs equals more people paying more taxes.

Come on, remember when Bush freed the Billionaires from slavery with the double taxation of the dividends tax?

The economy boomed and there was a ham in every pot, fewer abortions and less people chose to be gay.

I think the choice is clear, lower taxes for the job creators and higher taxes for the lazy working people, come on, it's the only sane thing to do.

The best way to spread our Christian Values is to solidify those people who give us freedom, liberty and life, I'm talking about the richest people in America.

Jesus obviously loves them more because he gave them more, and He hates poor people the most because he gave them the least.

If we give billionaires more power, they will use it for the good of mankind and buy our more pre-existing companies to bring us more savings!

The Choice is Clear!

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The Silverblue Sun
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But how can we worry about taxes and deficits when Gay people are destroying everything Holy, Good and Sacred about America???????

Fight the War on Gays!

It is the only way!

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Tater
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Umm, I've been wondering about the social security tax.. when i'm more than likely not even going to receive social security. Or so, that's what I've heard. Shrug.
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Tater
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and what is it I keep hearing everyone griping about Bush doing? Something about taking your savings.. and I've heard the words "social security" in the conversation also.. [Confused]

[ February 10, 2005, 06:29 PM: Message edited by: Tater ]

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Dan_raven
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We used to have to worry about those darn "Spend and tax" liberals.

Now we have a much better system.

I call them the "Spend and Borrow Conservatives."

Or perhaps "Spend and Default Conservatives."

Its simple Ponzi Politics. Give everything to the people now so you can stay in power, and let the bills fall after you have retired. Look at the budget. Every major cut happens after President Bush leaves office, though it is supposed to be voted into law now. Just like President Bush's tax cuts, which only were approved by fiscal conservatives when they were designed to expire in 5 years, giving the 10 year forecast a rosey appearance. Now President Bush wants to make them permanent, totally destroying his original projected budget, and the cost won't be seen until 2 years after he is out of office.

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Book
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Often I wonder if it is the innate fate of a successful terrestrial species to essentially eat itself alive.
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