House Republicans Continue to Sink GWB

[Mursilis]

<< We just don't like to take the tough medicine it would require to curtail spending. >>



JJM thus sums up the situation!! :frown:

 

[shifrbv]

Maybe we should start considering term limits to clear out some of the &quot;congressional dead wood&quot; so to speak. Get people in there for shorter amounts of time who must either produce or be booted forever instead of the &quot;career criminals&quot; which we have now. It was a necessity after FDR, and I think looking at Congress now also shows that it's become a necessity.

I also think there should be a law that anyone who is included on the ticket as a presidential candidate must be allowed to participate in national televised debates. It really bothered me that only Gore and Bush were in the last debates when there were clearly others who appeared on the ballot. It's the only way because if we're looking for a modern day &quot;emancipator&quot; for this country, it's not going to come from the Republicans or the Democrats.

 

[BreakApart]

<< It's the only way because if we're looking for a modern day &quot;emancipator&quot; for this country, it's not going to come from the Republicans or the Democrats. >>



The truth is that's why they won't allow others in the debates.
Sad situation...

 

[jjm]

Hold on to your tax cuts now. The way they continue to spend, there's little chance they will last into the future.

 

[charrison]

jjm,

That is historically true. Taxes get lowered, then they creep back up. Federal withholding on paychecks should be done away with, and taxes should be paid quarterly by the individual. It is easy to part with a few bucks every 2 weeks, than to write 1 big check every 3 months.

 

[Mursilis]

<< jjm,

That is historically true. Taxes get lowered, then they creep back up. Federal withholding on paychecks should be done away with, and taxes should be paid quarterly by the individual. It is easy to part with a few bucks every 2 weeks, than to write 1 big check every 3 months. >>



Some pundit once suggested that the paycheck withholdings method of tax payment is the key reason the fed. gov't is able to take as much as it does. Too many people look forward to tax time because they may get a refund, and even if they have to pay, it's only a fraction of the total bill, since they've already paid a large sum via withholdings. The pundit thus proposed that withholdings be discontinued, and every American be forced to write a single check every year to Washington. Once the average American figured out how much his/her earnings was actually being taken, tax revolt would begin!

 

[jjm]

charrison - Nice idea, but that will never happen.

In some ways, I would not mind the increased spending if it wasn't just wasted on pork. For example, institute real education reform and offer 100% vouchers to everyone earning less than, say, $50,000 per year. The trouble with that is that there would be no money for any tax cuts. But if it really results in raising all education achievement, it would be worth it. The partial voucher scheme was just a political payoff for certain voters.

Prolonging the ultimate demise of small farms by subsidizing their inefficiency is foolish.

And the handout to ADM (a huge GWB contributor) by increasing government subsidies for ethanol are equally disgusting.

We've reformed individual welfare. When will we reform corporate welfare?

 

[charrison]

jjm,

Even your ideas are unlikely in the current political environment. There is going to have to be massive outrage before anything is done. The federal govt needs to be starved, until it happens massive useless spending will continue.

 

[shifrbv]

Corporate welfare won't be dealt with for a long time. It's easy to stop spending on individual welfare when times get lean. But to stop contributing to corporate welfare, the entities which provide jobs and security for millions, people will do almost anything to keep them from being diminished, especially if the economy gets worse. Too many people have too much to gain from corporate welfare unlike individual welfare.

 

[jjm]

Well, the way this Republican Congress is going, I think they are putting themselves at high risk of losing control and of making Jr a one-term wonder.