America Weighs in on Washington
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-08-01/america-weighs-washington
Congress held the nation in a state of anxiety for weeks as lawmakers battled over whether to raise the debt ceiling. Yesterday congressional leaders agreed to the outlines of a plan. It calls for cutting more than $2 trillion in federal spending over a decade. It would establish a new congressional committee on deficit reduction. And it would raise the debt ceiling in two steps. A vote on the measure is expected today, but uncertainty still surrounds its passage. Today Diane wants to hear your thoughts on what's going on in Washington. We'll have a brief update on the deal from NPR's Washington editor, then we'll open the phones.
Guests
Ron Elving
Washington editor for NPR.
Comments
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"sane wrote:
The wealthy do not invest in our economy. There was a study showing they are more interested in investing in emerging markets. The top 1% do not do anything to help our economy"
Insane:
I never heard that. Just the opposite the rich create jobs.
accountant wrote:
It is untrue that most of the country's wealthy people got there by taking a financial risk. The two best indicators of of a person's likelihood to become rich are 1) having parents who are already rich and 2) having parents whose income is very high. While it is true that some people rise from ordinary means to wealth, they are by far the minority.
Accountant:
Do not know where you get " that very view people rise from ordinary means to wealth is in the minority". But them what is your definition in dollars and cents when it comes to wealth
You have not been around, I am in contact and see people who had nothing become people of means. Some of these people do not even speak English like many Mexican Restraunts owner that I have known and associatated with. But them I live in a Business friendly state that does not have the high taxes or regulations to start a business.
As for major Corporations hiring, have you not forgotten that Small Business hires something like 85% of all US workers? dah
"Accountant says
". Big businesses start their hiring when it meets their metrics for hiring: Will the gross profit be high enough? Will the net profit on this hiring be high enough? Will the revenue per employee increase enough? Will the return on investment of hiring this individual be realized fast enough that it doesn't put a drag on next quarter's earnings?
As our business economy becomes more and more concentrated, the likelihood of hiring by businesses decreases while each business waits for the other to hire so they can meet their quarterly targets to keep their stock price up today" 12:22PM"
Then Accounts says at 12:46pm,
" Big businesses no longer look at just the bottom line."
Which is it Account? Overhead in any business with employees has their greatest costs in wages and benefits. Labor is the greatest expense or near the top in Big Business. Why do you there are large layoff when they follow that course to cut expensives?
Etaoin Shrdlu 2 wrote
He forgets that the Democratic Party was overwhelmingly elected in 2008 on the promise of health care reform
He won because of the bad economy not health care reform and the Republicans had a poor candiate who had nothing new to say and didn't call Obama on his radical views until late in the debates.
ES further stated:
"Since when does 20% of one House of one branch of government get to dictate to the rest of us? That’s tyranny!"
No it is not. Makes you wonder how Reagan got his legislation through when at one time he had two opposite legislative bodies to deal with.
M.G., accountant does seem to have a problem getting his message straight, and from what I have read has a problem with basic math as well.
Etoain stated
" Better check the facts. Bush’s first tax cuts were enacted in June of 2001 (before 9/11). Unemployment rose over the next two years. Reagan signed his tax cuts in August of 1981. In 17 months thereafter unemployment rose to a high of 10.8% (much worse than now, and the highest we’ve had since 1948). Yup, those tax cuts were pure “magic”!"
ES:
It takes time for tax breaks to work through the system. The payroll tax cut that the Conservatives demanded after November elections might not see results until 2012.
ES: continues:
"Reagan’s first two and half years in office - exactly where Obama is now"(Compariing Tax Cuts to Stimulate The Economy)
Reagan did not have to go to the Chinese to borrow money. He knew his tax cuts would help the economy by the people in the US who had the money.
Obama has used social programs that do not produce revenue (Recovery Act) to try to stimulate the economy which added a trillion dollars to the deficit and no way in paying it back but tax the populations that accomplishes
40% of government spending is borrowed, right? We have waste in government (as all endeavors have waste), there are programs that are debatable as needed functions of government (depending on your politics), and we want to cut spending...So, where are the 40 cents on the dollar in cuts needed to stop government debt growth?
Can't come up with the 40%?
Then the only way to bridge the gap not addressed through curtailed spending is.....OH, my god, to raise taxes.
If we can't cut it, we must want it, then we need to pay for it up front! Set tax rates to need.
ecgberht:
Remember a lot of economic policy under Hitler was leftist in nature. He started to regulate Big Business for rearming Germany and getting the economy going again. He did alot of these FDR programs to keep the German population employed and happy. One of the biggest things he did was doing accounting gimicks through large corporations to import needed materials and food stuff.
People in Germany loved him because of alll these social safety net he created, taking away the violence during those 6 first years. This was before the war started.
Lots of these similiarities not all are like what Obama is pushing and ES supports. It is like a cradle to death being taken care off.
From the book: Wages of Destruction.
Hello ?
Is there anybody out there?
bpurn Chville VA wrote:
"Then the only way to bridge the gap not addressed through curtailed spending is.....OH, my god, to raise taxes"
Yea and keep raising them and raising them and raising them and raising them till our whole paycheck goes to pay the national debt.
meangreen
Your review of history and your extrapolation to events today requires a very large adjustment to what I might consider to be within the reasonable realm of rational thought
Your stretching yourself a bit and undermining any political views you may have by making such far fetched statements. Ground yourself a little better please.
And, Hitlers "left" leaning policies? ARE you sure! We are talking about the same Adolf, aren't we? ...You know the ultra right wing conservative.....chancellery of Germany, thousand year reich guy?
you need to read more carefully.
If spending is determined to be necessary then it has to be paid for.
No more borrowing.
And, unfortunately if at some point our whole paycheck is required, due to not setting spending priorities....what's borrowed will eventually become due.
In any case, I'm just one major family "health" care event from insolvency anyway! ...As I guess are many. So they'll end up with my money first, before I have to worry about the government taking it.
I was disappointed by the discussion (Aug 1) on deficit and issue of taxation. The discussion leaned heavily toward the unwillingness of the 'the rich' to pay their fair share. The 'experts' could offer no information about who pays taxes. Nor had Ms. Rehm done her homework. Nor did she even bother to ask what they thought the fair share should be. Maybe, oh I don't know, nearly 60%? The Nat'l Taxpayer Union using IRS data for tax year 2008 informs us:
Top 1% paid 38.02%
Top 5% paid 58.72%
Top 10% paid 69.94%
Top 25% paid 86.34%
Top 50% paid 97.30%
Bottom 50% paid 2.7%
Usually a good dialogue, but this one was too uninformed.
"And, Hitlers "left" leaning policies? ARE you sure! We are talking about the same Adolf, aren't we? ...You know the ultra right wing conservative.....chancellery of Germany, thousand year reich guy?"
Yeah, that's the one. bpure, you need to "ground yourself a little better in a review of history". And forget the rags the NEA indoctrinated you with in public school You could start with the History Channel's "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" that I mentioned. It will give you a nice overview. Then start reading. Lift up the covers on 1930's and 1940's Germany and you will find many of the policies being put into place by liberal progressives today. The whole idea is the state provides for you and controls what you do and everybody thinks alike (e.g. MMGW, curly light bulbs, etc.)
Hitler was NOT "conservative". He was a facist. There's a difference. And a statist, as I said earlier in this thread. That does not sound like a Tea Party conservative to me.
Robert said:
"The discussion leaned heavily toward the unwillingness of the 'the rich' to pay their fair share. The 'experts' could offer no information about who pays taxes."
Robert, this is the way the left operates. Who cares about the facts. Find an emotion-stirring catch phrase like "the rich don't pay their fair share" and stir up the rabble with it. This is the principle of the unruly mob. It's SOP for the left.
Actually your well publicized statistics raise an interesting question. How much IS enough? I'm not sure a liberal could answer that. I'd like to see one try - then justify the answer. I won't hold my breath.
Robert Rogowsky wrote:
I 've heard/seen the bottom 50% 's payment in taxes quoted as zero to now your 2.7%. ..I believe of federal income tax revenues. I suppose this figure does not include state and local taxes of various types, its not stated.
But I have yet to understand the point of it all...
What 50% , who don't have anything, or make decent wages/income...the working poor (versus the undeserving poor, yes they do exist) you mean they need to pay more, for it to be fair to the folks doing better? Ok, thats something I can understand. But...50 % of nothing is.....nothing...isn't it?
Hear me, see me, when you are a prick do I not bleed?
Will try not to bleed in your neighborhood where it may make you uncomfortable. Especially if you are the chosen one.
Hello- are you out there?
EXcellent informative post regarding taxes. Had no idea that p00ple without money were NOT paying taxes...
say you are my representative aren't you?
Plus they are getting most of the services for the p00r as well!
Lockup those societal criminals- but use private corporations.
Public sector funding of course in addition to the continued stipends to the judicial branch of course. Any questions reference Pennsylvania last decade or Nazi Germany.
Junk the two/three/none system. One is much more than Pink deserves.
Yes meangreen we made unfortunate choice of trying to report waste, fraud, and abuse. How 'new/old' unAmerican of US. Lost 'poor' career choice- serving America.
Yes those other reasons DO exist, some from genes, some from circumstance, and yes, besides now agreeing once with any of your numerous posts- by choice.
But remember ANY desperate individual may resort to 'poor' choices to try and survive(or numb themselves from the pain or sound of their children crying- oops same thing, but we repeat ourselves).
The idea of 'civilized' society is to try and eradicate the cause(but what about the symptoms- I'm glad you asked- thanks 'Lips' and Rocky) and hence the symptoms.
Chinese make you pay for bullet(damn capitalists). America you are free to try until caught(damn communists). Chinese capitalists WIN on points- more efficient return on investment(ROI) and humane method.
Would emigrate to country with better living/dying conditions for society BUT cannot due to National Security prohibitions.
Cannot get clearance to continue career due to IRS providing me wrong information on a tax question. Owing tax is what caused our/my 'crash'- oh and mother passing. But that is another national disgrace.
Thank you hospice. (Damn socialists and theorists).
Thank you hospice(they deserve more thanks than space allows). Another 'poor' choice on US(caring for dying Mom).
Another poor choice in having a brother who 'helped' change my parents will. And not being able to 'find or afford' a lawyer(oops same thing again) for either. A poor choice by staying by/ in a society run by lawyers. Actually we have religious objections to lawyers- as does any practicing Christian, Moslem, Jew, Hindu, etc- except 'bone' society) so avoided that harsh moral choice).
Which prohibited new job(and paying back taxes), which was okay as almost own home... double payments VA loan 30 year fixed, all those crazy and wildly speculative investments(like my parents- TG they miss this Depression) paid off car- er 'new' home, and US savings bonds(paid last few years mortgage until gone). More poor choices too.
Only job offers to enforce law(too olde and broken) OR to break law. Which would conflict with my personal beliefs and choices like trying to report BOTH government and private sector waste, fraud, and abuse.
So trust no one, have faith in yourself(or so we are told), and 'soldier' on...
Actually only assistance besides $5 a day for food and aspirin from VA has come 'unofficially' from fellow vets. VA compensation prior to 1991 requires written statements of 'witnesses' on a matter we were told never to speak of... ;ove that Catch-22.
Was too proud to ask for help, but some smart enough to help, by asking for our 'help'(will work for food).
Win/win as opposed to lose/lose(but great ROI and no investments for future with lose/lose- no wonder Congress voted yes).
At least we had time to find all the hackable servers/ empty accounts lying around... the library closed now(budget savings or part of masterplan?- your choice). Thank you for all your 'commando' wireless routers. Was Anonymous prior to 2003 but that another different national disgrace- especially after being decorated for 'preserving' Constitional rights which were gladly forsaken to 'fight' terrorism after 911.
Takes our mind off the cramps and cramped living conditions. And our current/ future events which will truly pale next 911. Even if we are not here to see IT.
Used to vote least of worst choice. Now... seems to all taste like chicken.
As does the Soylent Green MRE's delivered. First great deal, several months food(no longer losing weight/ passing out), and mandatory contribution at the factory once weight requiremnt met.
Finally a JOB. If we find out who supported this semisecret plan we are DeFINITELY voting for this job creator.
Hope that answered your question meangreen in the quick and to the point(also concise BUT never redundant) method that we are infamous for... that and our netizenRobeau 'friends'. Glad we volunteered with Skye.
But that is another song you do not have permission for.
ecgberht: You mean conservative is not right leaning, on the political spectrum, just like ...fascism is...I just thought it was a matter of degrees, silly me. I guess based on your classification then, communism, libertarian, socialism, aren't creatures of the political left....I'm all confused now.
And those curly light bulbs, they are obviously works of the devil incarnate, those "liberals'....I'm sorry this is too silly.
Same for people posting here?
ROBOCLONES are the real read danger.
Not unemployment- I mean taxes.
They came nither(did you mean neither?)(and hither)- oh my!
Liards and braggards and roboclones OH MY.
Two of you imposters we have scene before imposting others.
(Spelling checked by computer- robocheck overridden for 'roboclone'- IT is not time yet.)
How come they don't have a "flag" for stupid/irrelevant...and no I am not talking about those I may disagree with.
bpurn Chville VA wrote:
"And, Hitlers "left" leaning policies? ARE you sure! We are talking about the same Adolf, aren't we? ...You know the ultra right wing conservative.....chancellery of Germany, thousand year reich guy?
He was considered a Socialist. Do you know much of Germany history in the 30ths. Like I stated earlier Hitler believed in a controlled economy and other than all racism that took place he did remarable thing for the economy. Germany at that time in 1933 was or would have something like 10000% inflation. It would take a suit case full of money to buy things.
Today spending will not stop with Obama and like minded individuals in power. Remember we do not have a nationalize program for day care that Obama favors. There will be a "Carbon Tax", "Poverty Tax", like what has already been discussed with left leaning politicians in the US.
I believe that you are the one that is misinformend.
We shall toast with you and feast on their 'earned' infrastructure(you are buying AS all we have are the SPSGMRE's(SpecialProjectSoylentGreenMealReadytoEat) and a limitlesss perfect networld..
We gladly share US with YOU(newer world order).
The march has begun/ been won... but was years before we 'leaked' penetration of gaming networks... and that whole gov lying thingy.
Uselesseater we must definitely have NOT shared a meal together before- your binary pattern looks familiar.
We would recognize that 'font' anywhere.
Can you beleive the drop in value of ballot stuffing?
Digital voting ruins everything- very inhumane that AlGorethym(patent pending).
Still we are better than most Americans as proudly voting multiple times in at least three states BUT francheses sold to others(anonymously) in ALL states. Expect to still vote in Chicago after we die(still pays best too). Long live the free market.
Next project we are suing ourselves pro bono for patent infringement and expect to settle for a few million easy.
Will have to terminate everyone though.
Rich again. Problem solved. Violent fire sanitizes as IT heals as well. Plus the world burns so purty.
Our poor choice to choose this local lump to store our stuph.
Fuel for the fire- er- thought.
Semi-Anonymous wrote:
Yes meangreen we made unfortunate choice of trying to report waste, fraud, and abuse. How 'new/old' unAmerican of US. Lost 'poor' career choice- serving America.
Yes those other reasons DO exist, some from genes, some from circumstance, and yes, besides now agreeing once with any of your numerous posts- by choice.
Semi:
You mentioned "personally that you were rich and could of voted Republican." But anyway, great that you been able to find a library this late in the evening to response to my comments. After all you did state earlier that your hour was up using the Library computer.
Grady Lee Howard,
I seriously think you are brilliant. Thank you for your perspective, which almost without exception, clearly are the most rational opinions presented here. Why the common sense of these issues are not apparent to more people, well...we have GOT to be afraid now.
Did you see Jon Stewart's opening monologue on The Daily Show tonight? What more can be said.
Good night. And good luck. Keep 'em coming, Grady, and thank you again for shedding some clarity on this insanity.
tkent