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Would you support the next President if they championed massive spending cuts?

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SS tax ceiling should be $200k. 😀
A "consumption tax" should be implemented, instead of the "income tax". :thumbsup::laugh:
Translation for the slower among us = We'd get taxed on what we spend not on what we make. 😉
 
Originally posted by: Blain
SS tax ceiling should be $200k. 😀
A "consumption tax" should be implemented, instead of the "income tax". :thumbsup::laugh:
Translation for the slower among us = We'd get taxed on what we spend not on what we make. 😉

Good idea, with the wealth in the nation flowing out of the hands of most Americans to the top more than at about any time in history, let's further shift the tax burden off the top.

You know, the flat-worlders are beginning to look positively reasonable in comparison to the right-wingers.
 
Originally posted by: Vic
This is all so far over senseamp's head it's not even funny. Hey, all dictatorships are small government nirvanas! Didn't you know? WTF.

Mursilis said it best in this thread: "People like Craig234 who praise gov't in theory while simultaneously bitching about the abuses of power of gov't in practice are either hopelessly naive or incapable of learning from experience."

Yeah, it's all over my head like Iraq having WMDs was all over my head. When will you conservatives learn that you are far from being smarter than everyone else. You aren't even close.
 
Originally posted by: Craig234
One of the losses of the Bush presidency is a lot of young Americans who are not exposed to the idea of the government being something that helps society.
Oh man... I couldn't get past that part I was laughing so hard...

Hey...

Deja vu...


 
Originally posted by: Craig234
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: senseamp
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: senseamp
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: senseamp
I am sure conservatives think it's a complete coincidence that America emerged as a global superpower and economic powerhouse since the New Deal and through periods of huge government spending that have followed. I am sure you think all the big spending on infrastructure, science, education, etc, had nothing to do with it.</end quote></div>

I dunno, is it a coincidence that our major cities have absolutely horrible schools, high poverty rates, and high crime rates, all the while being completely controlled by liberals?</end quote></div>

As compared to what?</end quote></div>


Oh I dunno, maybe a Republican getting elected and greatly improving a city, kinda like NY.

Anyways, big cities are like a great social experiment for liberals, where you can enact any liberal policy that you'd like without anyone opposing it, so if liberlism was the answer to everything, then wouldn't our cities be in a little better shape than they are now?

Edit - BTW, my point is that it is obviously more complicated than you make it out to be, there are many more factors that play a role in both situations than just liberal or conservative policies.
</end quote></div>

All big cities improved during the 90s, thanks to improving economy under Bill Clinton.</end quote></div>

I guess it was a just a coincidence that the Republicans had control of congress during this time?

Either way, you are proving my point for me. Cities are affected by much more than just the party that controls them, just like our status on a worldwide scale is affected by much more than just the party that controls the country.

</end quote></div>

The national economy follows the president's party far more than Congress's party.

Do some research someday.

Here, I'll help you, click and read this link, if you can be bothered, JD50:

The facts, how they hurt the righty ideologues


JHC you should actually read the posts that you quoted and put it in context. I'm not saying that the good economy was solely because of the Republicans, I'm saying that congress and the President had a part in it. But thats not even what we were discussing so forget it Craig.
 
Originally posted by: senseamp
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Vic
This is all so far over senseamp's head it's not even funny. Hey, all dictatorships are small government nirvanas! Didn't you know? WTF.

Mursilis said it best in this thread: "People like Craig234 who praise gov't in theory while simultaneously bitching about the abuses of power of gov't in practice are either hopelessly naive or incapable of learning from experience."</end quote></div>

Yeah, it's all over my head like Iraq having WMDs was all over my head. When will you conservatives learn that you are far from being smarter than everyone else. You aren't even close.


Ah yes, when all else fails just fall back on Iraq and WMDs. You guys are like parrots.
 
Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: senseamp
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Vic
This is all so far over senseamp's head it's not even funny. Hey, all dictatorships are small government nirvanas! Didn't you know? WTF.

Mursilis said it best in this thread: "People like Craig234 who praise gov't in theory while simultaneously bitching about the abuses of power of gov't in practice are either hopelessly naive or incapable of learning from experience."</end quote></div>

Yeah, it's all over my head like Iraq having WMDs was all over my head. When will you conservatives learn that you are far from being smarter than everyone else. You aren't even close.
</end quote></div>


Ah yes, when all else fails just fall back on Iraq and WMDs. You guys are like parrots.

Because we were right, and heard the same kind of condescending attitude from people who were wrong on that issue, lecturing us about how it was far over our heads.
Well, those same people have been wrong time and time again, but have not had a much needed attitude adjustment, so they continue pretending like they have all the answers because they listen to the AM radio.
 
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Yeap with a few exceptions:
1. Can?t cut defense spending, at least as long as we are in the war on ?terror.?
2. Cutting education spending is most likely not a good idea.
3. Transportation spending is funded mainly by our gas taxes, therefore I would not touch it.</end quote></div>

Considering we spend more on defense than the next 8 combined. Yeah we can and we SHOULD cut the handouts to defense companies.

The CIA and NSA, as well as the now Dept of Homeland Security, have a completely seperate budget.
 
Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Craig234
One of the losses of the Bush presidency is a lot of young Americans who are not exposed to the idea of the government being something that helps society.

</end quote></div>
Oh man... I couldn't get past that part I was laughing so hard...

Hey...

Deja vu...

Thanks for the commentary from the right-wing cult.

The government has never done any good, has it? It had nothing to do with the 40-hour work week and workplace safety, with safety and disclosure in food, with the rules keeping the marketplace functioning well, with creating the national highway system and the air control system, with moving the country from 90% elder poverty to 90% elder non-poverty.

Thanks for proving my point, though youth may not be your reason for failing to understand the good government can do and is needed to do - clearly, with limits.

Your reason is being one of the dupes of the right-wing propaganda.
 
Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Craig234
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: senseamp
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: senseamp
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: senseamp
I am sure conservatives think it's a complete coincidence that America emerged as a global superpower and economic powerhouse since the New Deal and through periods of huge government spending that have followed. I am sure you think all the big spending on infrastructure, science, education, etc, had nothing to do with it.</end quote></div>

I dunno, is it a coincidence that our major cities have absolutely horrible schools, high poverty rates, and high crime rates, all the while being completely controlled by liberals?</end quote></div>

As compared to what?</end quote></div>


Oh I dunno, maybe a Republican getting elected and greatly improving a city, kinda like NY.

Anyways, big cities are like a great social experiment for liberals, where you can enact any liberal policy that you'd like without anyone opposing it, so if liberlism was the answer to everything, then wouldn't our cities be in a little better shape than they are now?

Edit - BTW, my point is that it is obviously more complicated than you make it out to be, there are many more factors that play a role in both situations than just liberal or conservative policies.
</end quote></div>

All big cities improved during the 90s, thanks to improving economy under Bill Clinton.</end quote></div>

I guess it was a just a coincidence that the Republicans had control of congress during this time?

Either way, you are proving my point for me. Cities are affected by much more than just the party that controls them, just like our status on a worldwide scale is affected by much more than just the party that controls the country.

</end quote></div>

The national economy follows the president's party far more than Congress's party.

Do some research someday.

Here, I'll help you, click and read this link, if you can be bothered, JD50:

The facts, how they hurt the righty ideologues</end quote></div>


JHC you should actually read the posts that you quoted and put it in context. I'm not saying that the good economy was solely because of the Republicans, I'm saying that congress and the President had a part in it. But thats not even what we were discussing so forget it Craig.

You should learn to speak clearly and not say things you don't mean to say.

You did it in another thread in the last day or two, when you clearly said something and then denied having said it (so I quoted it for you. Twice.)

The key quote here, and you gave it its own sentence I bolded above, and that sentence its own paragraph:

I guess it was a just a coincidence that the Republicans had control of congress during this time?

But then you want to deny that you said anything to the effect of republicans' role, and you claim you were referring equally to the president and congress.

BS. You say it, stand by it and stop evading responsibility.

And read the link I handed you. You didn't, did you?

It helps you get the facts behind your comment:

...our status on a worldwide scale is affected by much more than just the party that controls the country.

Sure, party isn't the only factor, but there's a clear difference between the two parties - something you fail to say, and it appears, do not understand.

Oh, sorry, the link isn't exactly on the topic of this thread, and so you can't be bothered to actually get informed on the larger issue of the history of the economy and political party.
 
Originally posted by: Craig234
Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Originally posted by: Craig234
One of the losses of the Bush presidency is a lot of young Americans who are not exposed to the idea of the government being something that helps society.
Oh man... I couldn't get past that part I was laughing so hard...

Hey...

Deja vu...

Thanks for the commentary from the right-wing cult.

The government has never done any good, has it? It had nothing to do with the 40-hour work week and workplace safety, with safety and disclosure in food, with the rules keeping the marketplace functioning well, with creating the national highway system and the air control system, with moving the country from 90% elder poverty to 90% elder non-poverty.

Thanks for proving my point, though youth may not be your reason for failing to understand the good government can do and is needed to do - clearly, with limits.

Your reason is being one of the dupes of the right-wing propaganda.

Here... Let me just post my response to the other identical post you made earlier in the thread...

As for your insane assumptions... I feel sorry for you.

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Originally posted by: Craig234

One of the losses of the Bush presidency is a lot of young Americans who are not exposed to the idea of the government being something that helps society.

:laugh:

I was laughing so hard after reading that I couldn't keep going.

The government is a bloated, overpriced mess whose only purpose is to grow larger and eat up more money in an effort to appear necessary. It is the car that Homer Simpson designed. It's a Rube Goldberg machine of galactic proportions. In it's current state (Starting around WWII) it is the single biggest drain on society there is.

Small, cheap, efficient government helps people. This government is the opposite of helpful (not to mention small, cheap and efficient). And shame on you for stating that Bush is the reason young people have no faith in government. This started LONG before Bush was in office. Those hippi, err, young folks in the 60's sure trused the government. :roll:

When people start looking to the government before they look to themselves, you get what we have... eleventy brazillian in debt and a three trillion dollar nut to crack every year. You can trace the bloat all the way back to FDR and his New Deal. While it may have been well intentioned and somewhat effective in its time, it spawned the philosophy that government is the answer to all our woes.

It's amazing to me that the thought of cutting even a small percentage... or a fraction of a percentage off the budget is horrific to some people. States do it. Why cant the fed?



 
I try not to think about things that arnt going to happen. To many hands in cookie jar and goes up every year like clockwork.
 
Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

And shame on you for stating that Bush is the reason young people have no faith in government. This started LONG before Bush was in office. Those hippi, err, young folks in the 60's sure trused the government. :roll:

Yes, LBJ and Nixon did a lot to start the disillusionment of the public in government, because of Viet Nam and Watergate, but they were a hell of a lot better than GWB.

You can read John Dean's "Worse than Watergate" for the documentation, but this essay on Salon.com *defending Nixon* is right there for you to read.

When people start looking to the government before they look to themselves,

And there's the predictable right-wing misguided hyperbole, distorting the issue.

you get what we have... eleventy brazillian in debt and a three trillion dollar nut to crack every year. You can trace the bloat all the way back to FDR and his New Deal.

No, spouter of ignorance, you can trace it back to Ronald Reagan.

While it may have been well intentioned and somewhat effective in its time, it spawned the philosophy that government is the answer to all our woes.

No, it spawned the philosophy that government had a higher function than it did before FDR, and it did - it did a ton of good - but not that it was some extreme bloated thing.

The huge debt comes from the corruption of the republicans from Reagan to GWB, period.

It's amazing to me that the thought of cutting even a small percentage... or a fraction of a percentage off the budget is horrific to some people. States do it. Why cant the fed?

They can. See the presidency and elimination of the deficit under Bill Clinton.
 
Originally posted by: Craig234
See the presidency and elimination of the deficit under Bill Clinton.

It was all budgetary smoke & mirrors...
Bill Clinton served as President from 1993-2001. He says he paid down on the National Debt...
Look Here > What year or years did that happened?
Answer = It didn't... It went up every year. :shocked:

Link to the Treasury Direct website (Historical Debt Outstanding)


This book must be included in the Welcome Basket for everyone new to Washington > "How to Lie With Statistics" :laugh:

 
Craig...

I'm not defending W but you can't say that people's faith in the government was shattered over the last six years. The US government has been the butt of jokes since before I was born.

Blaming it all on Bush is (or Reagan or some other republican) makes you look silly.

And I'm sure you realize that there is a difference between the deficit and the debt. Despite all the claims and accounting tricks to show a surplus, the national debt grew every year under Clinton. He was robbing Peter (Social Security) to pay Paul.

I realize you are a socialist idealogue. I understand that you think government can solve all problems if you just give it a chance. And working with fictional ideals, you might even be right. But in the real world, government stifles progress. It chokes on its own red tape. It is not helpful. It serves only to increase its own power.

And unfortuneately for you, you can't just blame Dubbya for it. It's far older and more complicated than "GWB fucked us"
 
Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Blaming it all on Bush is (or Reagan or some other republican) makes you look silly.

And I'm sure you realize that there is a difference between the deficit and the debt. Despite all the claims and accounting tricks to show a surplus, the national debt grew every year under Clinton. He was robbing Peter (Social Security) to pay Paul.
Al knew about this practice. That's why he went shopping at Walmart for a good "Lock Box". 😀

 
Originally posted by: senseamp
Originally posted by: Vic
This is all so far over senseamp's head it's not even funny. Hey, all dictatorships are small government nirvanas! Didn't you know? WTF.

Mursilis said it best in this thread: "People like Craig234 who praise gov't in theory while simultaneously bitching about the abuses of power of gov't in practice are either hopelessly naive or incapable of learning from experience."

Yeah, it's all over my head like Iraq having WMDs was all over my head. When will you conservatives learn that you are far from being smarter than everyone else. You aren't even close.

I'll agree that conservatives aren't that smart because I'm not a conservative. I never bought the lies about the WMD's (and didn't care anyway) and I was opposed to invading Afghanistan, much less Iraq. I'm a true liberal, not a socialist pretending to call myself a liberal.

Nice straw man though. Obviously all you had left after being completely and childishly wrong in your knowledge of basic political science and history. There is a significant difference between an all-powerful government made up of a small elite (i.e. your typical banana republic) and a government with limited powers controlled by a representative democracy of the people. They are obviously 2 entirely opposite forms of government, and here you are trying to argue that they are one in the same.
Oh boy, you're so smart! Quick! Create a distraction by pretending that I'm pro-Iraq War again!



edit: WHEN are they going to fix the forums? :frown:
 
Sweeping statements like that are typical of Craig's doublethink socialist propaganda. The basis for instilling fear in people, and thus control over them, is to get them to believe that they face a new and unusual crisis. Something that has never been encountered before and thus requires that new and drastic measures be implemented in order to combat it. And Craig, of course, being a great genius and hero of the people, will already have those necessary solutions and measures ready for us. Oh, if only we would heed his sage advice!
So it's not like Americans haven't mistrusted their government since before the Revolutionary War. This is new, this is different, and it's all Bush's fault! And we must do exactly what these great heroes of the people who oppose Bush tell us to do! Forget the fact that they have utterly failed in protecting us from the Great Satan and his agenda for the past 7 years, and have in fact voted in Congress right along with his administration every step of the way...

What America really wants to know is when are the ideologues on both the right and the left going to figure out that we see right through them? You're one and the same. It's like 2 football teams playing against each other. Your goals might be on opposite ends of the field, but you're still playing the same game and working towards the same objective. For some reason, this is obvious to everyone but the extremists.
 
Our wars and occupations cost us hundreds of billions more than all of the other programs put together... Wars with no taxes= cut other programs? great logic.
 
Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Craig...

I'm not defending W but you can't say that people's faith in the government was shattered over the last six years. The US government has been the butt of jokes since before I was born.

Blaming it all on Bush is (or Reagan or some other republican) makes you look silly.

And I'm sure you realize that there is a difference between the deficit and the debt. Despite all the claims and accounting tricks to show a surplus, the national debt grew every year under Clinton. He was robbing Peter (Social Security) to pay Paul.

I realize you are a socialist idealogue. I understand that you think government can solve all problems if you just give it a chance. And working with fictional ideals, you might even be right. But in the real world, government stifles progress. It chokes on its own red tape. It is not helpful. It serves only to increase its own power.

And unfortuneately for you, you can't just blame Dubbya for it. It's far older and more complicated than "GWB fucked us"

You can/t say that faith of government was shattered? What country have you been living to? What people have you been talking to?
 
Originally posted by: Craig234
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Craig234
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: senseamp
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: senseamp
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JD50
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: senseamp
I am sure conservatives think it's a complete coincidence that America emerged as a global superpower and economic powerhouse since the New Deal and through periods of huge government spending that have followed. I am sure you think all the big spending on infrastructure, science, education, etc, had nothing to do with it.</end quote></div>

I dunno, is it a coincidence that our major cities have absolutely horrible schools, high poverty rates, and high crime rates, all the while being completely controlled by liberals?</end quote></div>

As compared to what?</end quote></div>


Oh I dunno, maybe a Republican getting elected and greatly improving a city, kinda like NY.

Anyways, big cities are like a great social experiment for liberals, where you can enact any liberal policy that you'd like without anyone opposing it, so if liberlism was the answer to everything, then wouldn't our cities be in a little better shape than they are now?

Edit - BTW, my point is that it is obviously more complicated than you make it out to be, there are many more factors that play a role in both situations than just liberal or conservative policies.
</end quote></div>

All big cities improved during the 90s, thanks to improving economy under Bill Clinton.</end quote></div>

I guess it was a just a coincidence that the Republicans had control of congress during this time?

Either way, you are proving my point for me. Cities are affected by much more than just the party that controls them, just like our status on a worldwide scale is affected by much more than just the party that controls the country.

</end quote></div>

The national economy follows the president's party far more than Congress's party.

Do some research someday.

Here, I'll help you, click and read this link, if you can be bothered, JD50:

The facts, how they hurt the righty ideologues</end quote></div>


JHC you should actually read the posts that you quoted and put it in context. I'm not saying that the good economy was solely because of the Republicans, I'm saying that congress and the President had a part in it. But thats not even what we were discussing so forget it Craig.</end quote></div>

You should learn to speak clearly and not say things you don't mean to say.

You did it in another thread in the last day or two, when you clearly said something and then denied having said it (so I quoted it for you. Twice.)

The key quote here, and you gave it its own sentence I bolded above, and that sentence its own paragraph:

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>I guess it was a just a coincidence that the Republicans had control of congress during this time?</end quote></div>

But then you want to deny that you said anything to the effect of republicans' role, and you claim you were referring equally to the president and congress.

BS. You say it, stand by it and stop evading responsibility.

And read the link I handed you. You didn't, did you?

It helps you get the facts behind your comment:

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>...our status on a worldwide scale is affected by much more than just the party that controls the country.</end quote></div>

Sure, party isn't the only factor, but there's a clear difference between the two parties - something you fail to say, and it appears, do not understand.

Oh, sorry, the link isn't exactly on the topic of this thread, and so you can't be bothered to actually get informed on the larger issue of the history of the economy and political party.


This is why I try as hard as I can to completely avoid you. You are a condescending, arrogant ass. That aside, you also continue to quote me out of context, like you did in the other thread.

"But then you want to deny that you said anything to the effect of republicans' role, and you claim you were referring equally to the president and congress."

Where did I deny this? I denied that I think that Republicans were SOLELY responsible for the economy in the 90s. I didn't even say that they played an equal role, I just said that they both played a part. Senseamp was insinuating that the good economy in the 90s was all because of Clinton, completely ignoring the fact that Republicans controlled congress. I was reminding him of that fact, thats all, so stop trying to make things more complicated than they are. If you would have taken what I said in context, then it shouldn't have been too dificult for you to understand this. Now stop quoting me out of context and then arguing against a point that I didn't even make, its pretty damn annoying.

I don't even know why I stopped ignoring you, you are by far the most condescending person that I have ever known. I won't make that mistake again.
 
Streamlining and balancing the budget are fine goals to be worked on. But this sounds more like a call for massive cuts across the board. I say we go for it. Only then, after a couple of years, will people realize what a stupid $*&#! idea it was.
 
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