Remember when the President said he’d eliminate the National Debt?

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Politicians lie. All the time. All of them tell you what they think you want to hear. Every single one.

he's not a politician, he's a failed businessman/con-man who duped 62 million people into believing his bullshit.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

It’s somewhat comical seeing people call the $5.7 Billion for a wall that really will accomplish nothing necessary spending when those same people were insisting they had to defund PBS, NPR etc because it was such wasteful spending.

Good times.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I didn't say that. I said we need to increase revenue so that we don't have to cut anything. And we need to start at the top. If rich people pay a lot more in taxes their SS & Medicare benefits shrink into obscurity. I mean, you do know that taxes are actually regressive at the top, don't you?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...or-real/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.40ebf694a758

You implied nothing needed to be cut. I apologize if I misunderstood.

 

[zzyzxroad]

It’s somewhat comical seeing people call the $5.7 Billion for a wall that really will accomplish nothing necessary spending when those same people were insisting they had to defund PBS, NPR etc because it was such wasteful spending.

Good times.

You have to understand it's crucial we are protected against the onslaught of illegal immigrants flooding in so businesses can exploit them. I haven't check the number but based on what i am hearing Hannity it's now the #1 cause of death in the US. This is a vital national security issue!

 

[Vic]

You have to understand it's crucial we are protected against the onslaught of illegal immigrants flooding in so businesses can exploit them. I haven't check the number but based on what i am hearing Hannity it's now the #1 cause of death in the US. This is a vital national security issue!

Isn't Hannity the same guy who a few years ago was telling his viewers to stop making their mortgage payments because the housing market was never going to recover while at the same time buying up foreclosures? Sounds like a trustworthy fella.

 

[zzyzxroad]

Isn't Hannity the same guy who a few years ago was telling his viewers to stop making their mortgage payments because the housing market was never going to recover while at the same time buying up foreclosures? Sounds like a trustworthy fella.

Yeah, he just can't stop telling it like it is. Number one slinger of facts.

 

[pcgeek11]

And his opinion is as valid as yours. Our options are to drive our labor costs down to be comparable with theirs or to help get them to our standard of living so their labor costs are comparable to ours. Or stay the same and continue sending jobs to them.

You misunderstood me. I agree with Fanatical Meat.

 

[pcgeek11]

Foreign aid is just over 1% of a $4 trillion federal budget. If we want to reduce the debt, or at least balance the budget, we need a tax increase and a significant cut in the military budget. We aren't going to come anywhere close by cutting foreign aid, not building a wall, or any of various other small ideas people have.

Yes. Lots of small cuts equal a large cut overall.

 

[pcgeek11]

Yeh, GOP tax cuts for the wealthy sure are a step in the right direction.

I agree that the GOP tax cuts for the wealthy was not a good thing for the budget.

I think taxes have room to be increased for everyone.

 

[fskimospy]

I agree the President and Congress should put more effort into reducing the National Debt. A lot more.

They should also cut back on foreign aid which would be a good place to start. I wouldn't be opposed to a tax increase either. Our national debt is out of control and the politicians don't give a shit. None of them do.

And before someone brings up the wall request of 5 billion dollars. That is a drop in the bucket. Esp when we spend ~ 49 billion on foreign aid.

Foreign aid is a vanishingly small percentage of our budget. It is not meaningful in reducing the debt.

If you’re serious about reducing the debt the first stop should be the military. Cut it by half or more. It’s the main feature of our budget that does not improve the lives of citizens.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I agree that the GOP tax cuts for the wealthy was not a good thing for the budget.

I think taxes have room to be increased for everyone.

Holy fuck part 2, you have evolved a lot on this issue over the last several years. That’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing to evaluate and modify based upon what’s current.

 

[pcgeek11]

Foreign aid is a vanishingly small percentage of our budget. It is not meaningful in reducing the debt.

If you’re serious about reducing the debt the first stop should be the military. Cut it by half or more. It’s the main feature of our budget that does not improve the lives of citizens.

I realize that it is a small amount of our budget, that is why the wall funding should also be considered as it is an improvement to border security and it isn't that much in the grand scheme. The only reason the Dems now oppose it is that Trump wants it. They were all for it not too long ago.

That was an example of what in my opinion is a waste of money and only gains us dependent nations.

I think it would be a huge mistake to cut the military by half or more. There is room for savings however.

 

[Jhhnn]

I agree that the GOP tax cuts for the wealthy was not a good thing for the budget.

I think taxes have room to be increased for everyone.

Tax increases must begin at the tippy top if the public is to support them.

 

[pcgeek11]

Holy fuck part 2, you have evolved a lot on this issue over the last several years. That’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing to evaluate and modify based upon what’s current.

Things change and so do I.

 

[pcgeek11]

Tax increases must begin at the tippy top if the public is to support them.

I agree. Then the rest can follow.

 

[Jhhnn]

I realize that it is a small amount of our budget, that is why the wall funding should also be considered as it is an improvement to border security and it isn't that much in the grand scheme. The only reason the Dems now oppose it is that Trump wants it. They were all for it not too long ago.

That's not really true. The Wall! is a ridiculous solution for the Rio Grande valley & pointless in the remote desert regions of AZ & NM.

 

[fskimospy]

I realize that it is a small amount of our budget, that is why the wall funding should also be considered as it is an improvement to border security and it isn't that much in the grand scheme. The only reason the Dems now oppose it is that Trump wants it. They were all for it not too long ago.

They were never for it, because it is useless and a waste of money. They have voted for bills that included funding for it in the past in exchange for other things.

Trump and Republicans only want this because his campaign focused on that retarded promise to have a wall and have Mexico pay for it. Now that Mexico punked him on the issue and conservative media is calling him out for weakness he’s decided he needs to demand it to appear strong. Here is the easiest way to know that even conservatives know the wall is a stupid idea: if they actually thought the wall was useful and worth having they would be willing to surrender major concessions to get it. They aren’t, therefore it isn’t really important to them outside of as a totem.

You think the wall is important? Let’s hear your offer for it. I want mass increases in immigration across the board and a mass legalization of DACA people. Deal?

That was an example of what in my opinion is a waste of money and only gains us dependent nations.

I think it would be a huge mistake to cut the military by half or more. There is room for savings however.

Why would it be a huge mistake?

 

[fskimospy]

Every discussion about wasting money on a wall should begin with Democrats asking ‘what will you give us for it?’

If we are going to light $5 billion in taxpayer dollars on fire in order to alienate our southern neighbor we should at least be able to point to some actually useful policy we got in exchange.

 

[pcgeek11]

That's not really true. The Wall! is a ridiculous solution for the Rio Grande valley & pointless in the remote desert regions of AZ & NM.

I didn't say one long continuous wall. A wall where it works to prevent illegal entry.

 

[pcgeek11]

They were never for it, because it is useless and a waste of money. They have voted for bills that included funding for it in the past in exchange for other things.


You think the wall is important? Let’s hear your offer for it. I want mass increases in immigration across the board and a mass legalization of DACA people. Deal?


Why would it be a huge mistake?

Clinton, Schumer and others have voiced support for border barriers in the past. They have also supported stopping illegal aliens in the past...

I think that immigration levels are high enough. I do agree that they should settle the DACA by allowing the current DACA people to stay and become citizens through normal channels.

If you cut the military budget it half it would cause a huge impact to the world economy and effect many countries. This would be due to the contraction of military forces back to the US and closing of overseas bases and installations. Other countries would have to step up their game as they should anyway to fill the global protection void.

I am not opposed to a gradual reduction, but half or more is quite a bit too much.

 

[pcgeek11]

Every discussion about wasting money on a wall should begin with Democrats asking ‘what will you give us for it?’

If we are going to light $5 billion in taxpayer dollars on fire in order to alienate our southern neighbor we should at least be able to point to some actually useful policy we got in exchange.

Give them their DACA.

 

[fskimospy]

Clinton, Schumer and others have voiced support for border barriers in the past. They have also supported stopping illegal aliens in the past...

No one is against stopping illegal immigration, it’s just that a wall is not effective at doing that. Let’s not waste your tax dollars on something that doesn’t work.

I think that immigration levels are high enough. I do agree that they should settle the DACA by allowing the current DACA people to stay and become citizens through normal channels.

Why are immigration levels high enough? The US benefits enormously from immigration, I feel like we could easily increase it by a large amount.

If you cut the military budget it half it would cause a huge impact to the world economy and effect many countries. This would be due to the contraction of military forces back to the US and closing of overseas bases and installations. Other countries would have to step up their game as they should anyway to fill the global protection void.

I am not opposed to a gradual reduction, but half or more is quite a bit too much.

Isn’t that basically an argument that our military is a form of foreign aid?

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Things change and so do I.

This is unexpected and the following is not meant to be an insult.

I’m having the same smile on my face as when I heard a clip of Pat Robinson saying the oral sex between a husband & wife was perfectly fine with God and that’s why god made it fun also a BJ is a perfectly fine meathod of birth control between a married couple.

I was shocked and happy the guy sounded less crazy than usual.

Only can find the short version

 

[dank69]

You misunderstood me. I agree with Fanatical Meat.

I didn't misunderstand you. You are both wrong.

 

[HeXen]

People say lots of things with good intentions. Everyone here probably has too and failed to do what they said so why make a deal of this? If you're into politics, you're going to have to tell people lots of things with good intentions but getting it done is no guarantee.