The wealthy already pay plenty. Why do liberals hate success?
Why do they think it's ok to take people's money to grow the government and make more people dependent?
Why do liberals want to kill jobs?
We are not in an economy that can take any tax hikes at this time.
Conservative Republicans, the prosperous elite, and Tea Party activists who are fond of criticizing taxes, despite paying a proportionally lower rate than do working and middle income Americans. These are individuals who proffer that they are being chastised for showing ingenuity and creating wealth. They pontificate this even as they cut jobs, decrease benefits, and export the jobs of their employees.
I tend to be uncomfortable with what appears to be a single focus approach of the right wing approach of the Republican Party with respect to any one problem that arises. This is particularly true with the economy. Their solution for the problem is lower taxes and less spending without any rational discussion. It’s time for some common sense to come into the discussion. Yes, we need to lower spending. Yes, we need to be concerned about taxation. But to me, the bigger concern is the overall outcome.
We can’t shut our eyes to the situation that we are facing in the United States. Coming into the 21st century we inherited a huge deficit, two wars (which were never included in the budget), an economic collapse not seen since the 1030’s, a global economy which we had never fully embraced, an outdated infrastructure, an increasing energy crisis, the largest environmental catastrophe the in the US history, and the ramifications on our society of each. As the Federal Government has spread itself thinner the states have continued to try to fill the gaps. The result is severe cutbacks in education, medical services, human services, and other services.
The obvious solutions are decreased taxes stimulus spending, decreased expenditures, increased taxes, or combinations of the aforementioned. When I hear people lamenting the re-emergence of higher taxes, I am dismayed for several reasons. We are not raising taxes, but allowing them to return to what existed prior to the Bush tax cuts. During the Clinton Administration tax decreases were focused on middle-class Americans. And should we fail to forget the Clinton Administration had a surplus of $230 Billon in the year 2000.
At a time when we need to put our country on a sounder footing why diminish that which could add money to our federal budget. Oh, that’s right, to do so, would malign business that is the thrust of what makes our country grow. How dare we ask them to contribute more to the government when they already contribute such a large percentage? In fact, both the Heritage Foundation and the Chamber of Commerce reports that the United States has the second largest highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world. The problem is that this statistic is disingenuous. The reason is that the rate is an overview that does not include those exemptions that have been disallowed all the loopholes, shelters, and special tax breaks. Once these are considered these rates are among the lowest in the world as a share of GDP. And what about tax breaks for individuals? According to ABC News, tax records show that T. Boone Pickens the Hurricane Katrina relief legislation. To contribute a one-time tax break of $165 million to the Oklahoma State University Men’s Golf Team. Within the hour of receiving the money it was wired back to Pickens’ hedge fund and Pickens waived all fee’s and profits on the investment. This is just one example of how those at the top of the income brackets and corporations can be deceptive in the amount of taxes paid. Unfortunately, these loopholes are primarily available to those on the upper-end of the income brackets.
I’m tired of hearing the one note Republicans talk about how any spending is bad and how, for example, an extension of unemployment will incite a continuation of unemployment. According to the Joint Economic Committee calculations using statistics from the Department of Labor there are five unemployed workers for every job. Perhaps they should visit the real world where jobs have been destroyed and where people who have barely gotten by on two pay checks must survive on one salary. I’m tired of hearing people who don’t understand that working does not insure that some one will not have enough to buy insurance or pay the co-pay to see the doctor. Additionally, the economic results of not providing such insurance are estimated to be $24.2 billion in disability funds. Providing the extension, would provide a multiplier of $1, 60 for every dollar spent. Not only is it the right thing to do, it is the economically feasible government action.
We do have do make legitimate and intelligent cut within the budget using common
It should be realized however, that there will be times that an initial spending is required to reduce the long term expenditures. To do so is expedient and wise. Energy conservation is one area that is appropriate. Not only would it provide new growth in industry/jobs it would allow America to become less dependent on foreign oil. Additionally, we must be willing to adequately consider open debates on where such cuts should be made. At the present time, out states are struggling to meet the needs of local education, medical services, infrastructure, and other areas of need. In the need of fiscal restraint can we continue to turn our backs on those who are an integral part of our society? There comes a point that we have to take a stand to invest in our own people.
This nation has gotten to a point where argument and strife mean more than consensus and constructive solution. I remember the old days in Congress when they fought viscously and then found a way to work together. I pray for the time when we elect adults to Congress who go there to do a job. Not to noticed, not to be elected/re-elected, but to do the work of the Nation.
actually the rising generation of women are 