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Now they decided to reign in Spending.....

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
GOP House leaders will revisit the 2006 budget, putting a bill on the floor calling for a further 2% spending cut in non-combat discretionary spending and "at least" $50 billion in "savings" from mandatory spending.

Guess where the majority of those cuts will occur? That's right its slated to come out of Medicaid, student loan, and food stamp programs.

The poor are going to get slammed with increased heating and fuel bills during the winter and now we are going to make it tougher for them to get food and health care.

Are the Republicans right now trying to commit political suicide?
 

Reactor

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2005
3,976
1
Chandler, AZ, USA
It's pretty hypocritical. Don't cut spending when you cut taxes, instead introduce new and bigger government (Prescription drugs, war, etc) then when there is a crisis, and the nation has already maxed out it's credit cards cut services to the poor.

The tax cuts need to be repealed. I pay a lot of taxes and I'd happily pay more to keep a decent set of government services in place.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Reactor said:
The tax cuts need to be repealed. I pay a lot of taxes and I'd happily pay more to keep a decent set of government services in place.
I think the proper modern american response to that is to call you a communist/socialist pinky pop-tart etc.

I don't care how bad you think you're getting taxed, if you live in this country, your life ain't so bad. Well....unless you're a veteran who's been counting on your promised benefits lately.

But I totally agree with you.
 

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
ridetoofast said:
id soooo rather they CUT SPENDING than increase taxes. there is, and has been, an obscene amount of pork and boon doggle in the budget for way way way too long.
Then cut pork and boon doggle. Don't go after the necessary social programs at a time they are needed most.

I suspect that this will lead to a minor revolt in the Republican party. Its going to get tougher and tougher to sell these types of spending cuts in the face of all the feed the rich tax cuts that the average person didn't even notice.

Ask the average person how much money they saved in taxes during the last round of cuts....
 

BussaFrame

Monkey
Apr 19, 2005
197
0
Reactor said:
It's pretty hypocritical. Don't cut spending when you cut taxes, instead introduce new and bigger government (Prescription drugs, war, etc) then when there is a crisis, and the nation has already maxed out it's credit cards cut services to the poor.

The tax cuts need to be repealed. I pay a lot of taxes and I'd happily pay more to keep a decent set of government services in place.
I completely agree with you Reactor.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
ridetoofast said:
id soooo rather they CUT SPENDING than increase taxes. there is, and has been, an obscene amount of pork and boon doggle in the budget for way way way too long.
I agree with you to some degree but there has been a disproportional amount of cuts to corporations the last few years. I think that's what I have the biggest problem with. But if we go back to the pre-bush tax system, is that an increase or a rollback? Depends on who you talk to I guess.

We can fund (sort of) a bs war and just make a debt out of it but when it comes to an actual domestic issue, the folks in charge right now feel they need to justify gutting social programs, even infrastructure.
 

ohio

The Fresno Kid
Nov 26, 2001
6,649
23
SF, CA
ridetoofast said:
id soooo rather they CUT SPENDING than increase taxes. there is, and has been, an obscene amount of pork and boon doggle in the budget for way way way too long.
Are you calling Medicaid, student loans, and food stamps "pork?"
 

Reactor

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2005
3,976
1
Chandler, AZ, USA
ridetoofast said:
id soooo rather they CUT SPENDING than increase taxes. there is, and has been, an obscene amount of pork and boon doggle in the budget for way way way too long.

While I respect your opinion, I work for a Governement Agency which has a rapidly growing workload, and a shrinking budget when adjusted for inflation. The agency I'm working for is at the breaking point, we've cut people while the work load has drastically increased. Where I work there isn't any such thing as having a backup person, or cross training anymore. We have the bare minimum people to keep operational. It's to the point a couple of key people leaving locally would be disasterious. It's actually getting to the point public safety is potentially affected. We use to plan and be proactive, now we just try to keep our heads above water.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
reflux said:
Ermm, like already said, I've yet to meet a poor Republican.
I've met lots of them.

Usually drive beat up trucks, gun rack, some goofy freedom sticker placed somewhere.

If it weren't for the republican party pandering to poor people through the defense of our borders, the democrats wanting your taxes and other such bs, they wouldn't be half the country. Not everyone who supports these fools is rich. They just think they will be shortly.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,235
20,017
Sleazattle
If it wasn't for student loans I'd be flipping burger somewhere. The government should profit or break even on the S.L. business if they didn't let people get away with not paying them back.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Changleen said:
It's good that NO is getting alot of energy directed towards sorting it out fast, but it would appear that a few hundred million is the price you'll pay for the 'promt service' and no-bid antics.
I don't know how much you've been reading about the situation but a lot of the new hire contract workers are illegal mexican immigrants, not locals. Cheaper but in direct opposition to what bush claimed would be the case in getting the local economy going. Pretty lame.
 

reflux

Turbo Monkey
Mar 18, 2002
4,617
2
G14 Classified
Westy said:
If it wasn't for student loans I'd be flipping burger somewhere. The government should profit or break even on the S.L. business if they didn't let people get away with not paying them back.
How's that they don't pay them back? It's my understanding of the previous bankruptcy law that student loans were one of the 5 main sources of debt that couldn't be forgiven through bankruptcy.
 
Oh you poor gov't employee...welcome to what the private has been doing for years. And we also have lesser benefits, less vacation and fewer holidays. Food stamps and Medicaid are mainly for people that have been irresponsible with their lives...people having kids when they shouldn't, or people being too lazy to get a job, people with a weak work ethic, etc. Sorry for being a republican with a nice house...I worked/ work hard and earned it. I worked hard enough to get grants, etc for school.
Sorry you want to pay for food, etc for a 21 year old girl with 3 kids.
Everyone makes mistakes, some bigger than others, I've paid for mine...you pay for yours.


I pay 7800/ year in property tax and another 20K in income tax, 8.25% sales tax, 2.90/ gal of gas (about $.40 higher than average) because of NY state taxes. If you are willing to pay more taxes, can you pay some of mine?
 

Changleen

Paranoid Member
Jan 9, 2004
14,335
2,448
Hypernormality
pterodactyl said:
Oh you poor gov't employee...welcome to what the private has been doing for years. And we also have lesser benefits, less vacation and fewer holidays. Food stamps and Medicaid are mainly for people that have been irresponsible with their lives...people having kids when they shouldn't, or people being too lazy to get a job, people with a weak work ethic, etc. Sorry for being a republican with a nice house...I worked/ work hard and earned it. I worked hard enough to get grants, etc for school.
Sorry you want to pay for food, etc for a 21 year old girl with 3 kids.
Everyone makes mistakes, some bigger than others, I've paid for mine...you pay for yours.


I pay 7800/ year in property tax and another 20K in income tax, 8.25% sales tax, 2.90/ gal of gas (about $.40 higher than average) because of NY state taxes. If you are willing to pay more taxes, can you pay some of mine?
Republicans are so self centered.
 

Slugman

Frankenbike
Apr 29, 2004
4,024
0
Miami, FL
pterodactyl said:
Oh you poor gov't employee...welcome to what the private has been doing for years. And we also have lesser benefits, less vacation and fewer holidays. Food stamps and Medicaid are mainly for people that have been irresponsible with their lives...people having kids when they shouldn't, or people being too lazy to get a job, people with a weak work ethic, etc. Sorry for being a republican with a nice house...I worked/ work hard and earned it. I worked hard enough to get grants, etc for school.
Sorry you want to pay for food, etc for a 21 year old girl with 3 kids.
Everyone makes mistakes, some bigger than others, I've paid for mine...you pay for yours.


I pay 7800/ year in property tax and another 20K in income tax, 8.25% sales tax, 2.90/ gal of gas (about $.40 higher than average) because of NY state taxes. If you are willing to pay more taxes, can you pay some of mine?
Ahhh... the new republican spokesman has arrived.
 

ghostrider

7034 miles, still no custom title
Jan 6, 2003
964
1
Shadows of Mt Boney, CA.
pterodactyl said:
Blah, blah, blah...
Sorry you want to pay for food, etc for a 21 year old girl with 3 kids.

And more BS...
I'm so damn confused by these neocons. Isn't this the same girl you would rake over the coals if she headed to the clinic?
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
pterodactyl said:
I pay 7800/ year in property tax and another 20K in income tax, 8.25% sales tax, 2.90/ gal of gas (about $.40 higher than average) because of NY state taxes. If you are willing to pay more taxes, can you pay some of mine?
So move someplace cheaper, you stupid lazy asshole. Why should I subsidize the fact that you want to live in NY state?
 

Slugman

Frankenbike
Apr 29, 2004
4,024
0
Miami, FL
ghostrider said:
I'm so damn confused by these neocons. Isn't this the same girl you would rake over the coals if she headed to the clinic?
Who attended a school that was not allowed to talk about condoms...
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
Changleen said:
And he's a dinosaur... :p
I wonder if he thinks that they flew around with Adam and Eve, or if he's just the greedy stupid type?

I'm betting greedy stupid. But it could be a little from column A, a little from column B... ;)
 

Reactor

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2005
3,976
1
Chandler, AZ, USA
pterodactyl said:
Oh you poor gov't employee...welcome to what the private has been doing for years. And we also have lesser benefits, less vacation and fewer holidays. Food stamps and Medicaid are mainly for people that have been irresponsible with their lives...people having kids when they shouldn't, or people being too lazy to get a job, people with a weak work ethic, etc. Sorry for being a republican with a nice house...I worked/ work hard and earned it. I worked hard enough to get grants, etc for school.
Sorry you want to pay for food, etc for a 21 year old girl with 3 kids.
Everyone makes mistakes, some bigger than others, I've paid for mine...you pay for yours.


I pay 7800/ year in property tax and another 20K in income tax, 8.25% sales tax, 2.90/ gal of gas (about $.40 higher than average) because of NY state taxes. If you are willing to pay more taxes, can you pay some of mine?


WTF are you talking about?? I've worked in the Military, in private industry, in state government, and federal government. During a two year period recently I put in 2,000 hours of unpaid overtime, I'm on call 24 hours a day. I pay about $30,000 a year in state, federal, property tax. Gas here is only about 10 cents a gallon more than where you live. Looks like I'm higher taxed and more republican than you. I'll put my work ethic up against yours any day.

Part of the entire basis of society is to protect, support and defend those who can't for themselves. You benefit in countless ways from society, like grants, now give some back. Republicans don't want real sex education or abortion, hell they don't appear to even want science in school. It's conservative Republican policies that are causing the 21 year old with three kids as much as if not more than anything else. Now that they have created the problem they have a problem paying for it. You don't want a 21 year old with three children on public assistance, allow condom pass outs, real sex education, fund publicly subsidised birth control.

I guess turning your back on those in need is the way of most Evangelical Christians/NeoCons. Greed is the new "Christianity".
{Edit I by no means apply this to Andyman }
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
pterodactyl said:
Food stamps and Medicaid are mainly for people that have been irresponsible with their lives...people having kids when they shouldn't, or people being too lazy to get a job, people with a weak work ethic, etc. Sorry for being a republican with a nice house...I worked/ work hard and earned it. I worked hard enough to get grants, etc for school.

Mmmm kool-aid.
 

ohio

The Fresno Kid
Nov 26, 2001
6,649
23
SF, CA
Reactor said:
Looks like I'm higher taxed and more republican than you. I'll put my work ethic up against yours any day.
pwn3riz3d!!!11!!!!




Just picked up a copy of Moral Politics... it's a few years outdated (~2001, Lakoff) but supposed to be quite good. Has anyone else read it?
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
ohio said:
Just picked up a copy of Moral Politics... it's a few years outdated (~2001, Lakoff) but supposed to be quite good. Has anyone else read it?
No, but looks like a good one to go on my list. Let me know if it's worth it.

I remember reading some stuff he wrote about 10 years ago, but it wasn't about politics. Don't remember the specifics.
 

kinghami3

Future Turbo Monkey
Jun 1, 2004
2,239
0
Ballard 4 life.
Reactor said:
It's pretty hypocritical. Don't cut spending when you cut taxes, instead introduce new and bigger government (Prescription drugs, war, etc) then when there is a crisis, and the nation has already maxed out it's credit cards cut services to the poor.

The tax cuts need to be repealed. I pay a lot of taxes and I'd happily pay more to keep a decent set of government services in place.
I agree, although as a poor college student, the refund is nice :thumb: I just don't see how people expect to get gov't services without paying for them. It's all about instant gratification. I'm willing to pay now for real protection, not this stupid war. Real protection is Medicaid/ Medicare, more money for police, schools, homeland defense. Foreign offense is not security, it just pisses people off so they try to kill us more than before.
 

Reactor

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2005
3,976
1
Chandler, AZ, USA
kinghami3 said:
I agree, although as a poor college student, the refund is nice :thumb: I just don't see how people expect to get gov't services without paying for them. It's all about instant gratification. I'm willing to pay now for real protection, not this stupid war. Real protection is Medicaid/ Medicare, more money for police, schools, homeland defense. Foreign offense is not security, it just pisses people off so they try to kill us more than before.
I am 100% for anything the government can do to help people through college or obtain technical training. Education is so important for peoples personal futures, and the the country's economic future. As far as I'm concerned every penny legitimately spent towards education should be tax deductible.


{GENERAL RANT Not directed at Kinghami3}

What I'm tired of is people going through college, getting $100,000 in grants and low interest student loans and then b*tching about paying them back. It sucks, I know, I'm 41 and still paying my wife's student loans.

I'm also tired of the same people, making six digit incomes complain WIC, medicaid, SSI about how unfair it is that they get taxed at a higher rate because they make so much. This in spite of the fact they took government money to complete their education, and SBA loans to start their business and huge capital deductions to buy equipment.

Not everything in society is a 1:1 payback, or even has a calculable ROI.

People who make more are taxed more because they have more discretionary income after paying for the basic necessities of life. Food doesn't cost five times more when you make $100K a year than when you make $20k a year. Is it fair to ask the guy making $20K a year to pay a 20% tax rate, when he has $20 a paycheck left over after paying rent, utilities, food, health insurance... While the guy making $100K a year has a $1000 a week in disposable income? There long standing tradition in America that those of us who were able to get ahead in life should help pay for the support and betterment of those who got left behind. Not to do so is selfish. Not to do so is Un-American, at least to the America I was born in.
 

Reactor

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2005
3,976
1
Chandler, AZ, USA
Some of the "pork" in my state:

$400,000 Maricopa County meth funding (Metamphetamine Enforcement and Clean Up - Community Oriented Policing Services)

$250,000 Law enforcement technologies for sheriff's offices in Cochise County (Law Enforcement Technology - Community Oriented Policing Services)

$750,000 Law enforcement technologies to be split evenly between City of Tucson and Pima County Police Departments (Law Enforcement Technology - Community Oriented Policing Services )

$7,900,000 Luke Air Force Base ATFP Litchfield Road Underpass and Entry Point replacement (Air Force)

$7,000,000 Davis-Monthan Air Force Base EC-130 Squad Operations Facility (Air Force)

$18,000,000 Fort Huachuca Army Global Information Facility (Army)
(Note: fort houses Military intelligence and Communications intercept station)

So Law enforcement block grants and Military base upgrades are pork?? There are only a couple of things on the website I see that would qualify under my definition of pork.
 

ridetoofast

scarred, broken and drunk
Mar 31, 2002
2,095
5
crashing at a trail near you...
i wasnt saying that side was cart blanche pork, just that it listed examples of pork, of course its going to vary by both state and opinion of what pork is.

i do agree that the wealthy have more discretionary spending (concerning some of your other posts), however i am always hesitant to give them license to raises taxes without first considering where spending can be cut. those jackasses (BOTH PARTIES) have had a free reign for too long on what and how money should be spent and have lost site of what the FED is actually responsible for vs what the states should be spending the money on.
 
Wow, you guys are harsh/ judgemental...just fishing to see what responses I would get. I wouldn't call any of you lazy or stupid because of a comment on here. A few responses to some comments:
This is going to piss other people off because nobody asked, but I'm just trying to wind down from work and typing is relaxing.
I think politics and politicians, Republicans and Democrats are all garbage.
I don't vote on party lines. Heck, I voted for Perot and Jesse Ventura when I lived in Minnesota.
I don't go to church.
I don't care about abortion...not my body or my kid...do what you want.
I don't live in NY because I am lazy or stupid. I can't seem to find any other way to be around my aging parents and my nieces and nephews without buying a transporter from Star Trek if I moved.
I am not a "Trekie"...don't even remotely like it.
I don't like paying taxes.
I think we should have a flat tax. One undeniable truth is that evey thing you buy is a percentage of what you earn. It should be the same for tax.
I think all governments use our money irresponsibly.
I like girls.
I want people who can't take care of themselves to be taken care of.
I don't want lazy people who find loopholes in our welfare systems to get money.
I want smart, hard-working kids to get every opportunity to go to school.
I think a lot of college is crap...I went to school for 5 years for Physics and Mech Eng and nothing in school had anything to do with real world engineering... and this was a very good engineering school. College should be derived from the end result (actual jobs) more than it is.
I don't think you should get preferential treatment either way for your skin color.
I love my new V-10.
I think they should legalize pot.
I don't smoke pot.
I think Unions are outdated and killing the industrial base of America.
I think CEOs make too much money.
I think nobody makes a 21 year old girl have sex and get pregnant multiple times with different fathers. Sex education? please. On that note, if you do have an idea what will make someone have sex with you, I'd like to use it on my wife.
I think we should be responsible for ourselves and not look to society for the scapegoat of an individuals behaviour.
I think we ought to close our borders more.
I think if we were not at war in Iraq, the car bombings happening there would be happening here. I don't own any body armor that can withstand more than a tree or rock.
Well, maybe not car bombings per se, but I think the focus of our enemies is in Iraq, and not necessarily on the continental US.
I am greedy...my wife said so.
I need to lose about 15lbs.
I think people that are not directly involved in the decision making and are not happy about it should get involved and not complain about it.
MOST IMPORTANTLY...SHOULD I GET THE FOX DH40 OR WAIT FOR THE NEW BOXXER WC?