Diegetics

Sorry, I always thought I was rather straightforward.

100% drawdown from all ME in no more than 6 months.

Freeze all government spending at current levels for 3 years, the means everything, military, entitlements.

Cut capital gains and corporate taxes.

Then see what happens. The economy is a dynamic organism, you have to see how it responds.

And of course my big ticket long term agenda remains unchanged, repeal Obamacare/Financial "reform", privatize SS, Medicare, and public schools. Vouchers, whatever.

I see bankrupt government in there.

You have suggested: Cap spending = default on debt. Reduce government income in the short-term by reducing taxes.

Those things will bankrupt the government.

Otherwise, I'm with you in spirit. Help me take out the DEA and reduce domestic surveillance and we are actually on the same side. Great thing about it is the drug war is expensive, it's a great way to reduce expenses.

We were taking in more revenue when capital gains taxes were lower. Corporate taxes would be a bit of gamble, but it is not a significant amount either way, making a small cut. It would have to be gamed out of course.

I do not believe capping gov't spending will have a net harm on the economy. Rather, I think people will be surprised how much it won't matter. The only real bugger is the stealth inflation.

If we don't get GDP and private employment revved up, we are dead in the water either way. I'm not sure if you are following the particulars, but the proposed tax increases from Obama cover like less than 1% of the deficit. The taxes you would need make an impact would destroy this economy right now. We absolutely cannot afford a recession or more net job losses, the revenue will be destroyed.

We have to cut. Last time I looked at the DEA budget I did not see anything but the most piddly of savings. Over 3/4 of the budget is military and entitlements. You have to cut where the money is being spent.

Frankly, it's just good to be talking about it.

My main concern about military spending is troop levels. AFG and Iraq were pillow fights in some regards and frankly a million men looked like barely enough. So some concern there.

Closing overseas bases need to be on the table. Republicans stubbornly refuse to talk about the way our military is deployed and how the money is being spent. It's frustrating to try and talk about it, I have practically been called a traitor for merely suggesting that our military could be half the size it is now and we still would be in no danger from conventional enemies.

Tax increases need to be on the table, in exchange for reductions in spending that will be hard to undo, like abolishing the DEA and various other redundant agencies and programs. Not freezing them or cutting them, but removing them like the cancer the have become.

If the GOP is serious about reducing the size of the government, they should be willing to accept temporary tax rate adjustments to pay off the mess we're in. I don't expect the Democrats to agree to any cuts in government, though, they squeal at the mention of cuts as if were their own jugular you were talking about.

Re the DEA budget, it has been estimated that the decriminalization of drugs would inject in excess of $70 billion into the US economy annually, both from law enforcement savings and tax revenue. Also, about 1 million people are jailed annually on drug charges, and these inmates cost an average of 23,000 per year. Prison population graphs look like a hockey stick, taking off when the drug war hit full swing.

I think this thread got hijacked!

so lets hijack it back to civility instead of bellyaching....



Rep. Paul Broun (R-) has a plan for the debt ceiling. A plan that could change everything. He discussed his plan in the National Review's The Corner.... a plan brilliant in its simplicity.... lower the debt ceiling.

""Today, I introduced a unique bill that goes in a completely different direction than everything else we’ve been hearing out of Washington. It would force politicians to start practicing what they’ve been preaching by lowering the debt ceiling from $14.3 trillion back down to $13 trillion. Admittedly, this is not your run-of-the-mill kind of law, but it would make it imperative for Congress to think outside of the box and come up with ways to pay off a portion of our debt while drastically cutting back spending. Since 1996, the national debt has increased by an inexcusable $8.79 trillion. I firmly believe that this calls for emergency measures to reduce the debt.

Yep! That is Rep. Paul Broun's proposal. America should make it so that we have already defaulted on our Treasury debt. We should retroactively blow up our economy, in the name of fiscal responsibility.


Boun is the guy who laughed when a town hall attendee asked, "Who's going to shoot Obama?"

and the guy who compared healthcare reform to "the war of Yankee aggression,"

and the guy who refused to sit with a member of the Democratic Party during the last State of the Union

and chose instead to angrily tweet from his office throughout the entire thing


AND THATS THE CIVILITY UPDATE

Democrat: I wish all Republicans were dead.

http://www.mrctv.org/videos/dan-savage- ... -king-dead

I just want to know, if O does win reelection, who gets to be the Sec Commerce for the second term?

Maybe take trains.