(08-20-2018 06:28 PM)TigerBlue4Ever Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:24 PM)olliebaba Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:18 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:04 PM)umbluegray Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:01 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  There is nothing in stone saying revenues will come up. Right now, the economy is doing quite good but revenues are in the crapper. What happens to revenues if the economy begins to recede? What happens to spending if the economy recedes?

Cut spending across the board. Period.

Do it today. Do it now.



But politicians WON'T do it.

I for one do not want higher taxes. Just because pols refuse to balance the budget & curb spending doesn't mean they have the right to take it from me.


"Taxation with representation isn't so hot, either."

The only buckets that can be meaningfully cut to offset the Trump/Ryan deficits are Social Security and Medicare.

What? Did you tear up your Socialist Party card? Why would you want to cut SS and Medicare and then campaign for it, like you know, free everything.

Buckets? That's cute. They are entitlements. There are government welfare programs to which none are entitled that could be cut.

And revenues will come up as unemployment numbers go down.

unemployment numbers can't really get much better than they are right now. What we need is wage growth. I'm hopeful that will happen, but it hasn't happened yet to any meaningful degree.

(08-20-2018 06:39 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:28 PM)TigerBlue4Ever Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:24 PM)olliebaba Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:18 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:04 PM)umbluegray Wrote:  Cut spending across the board. Period.

Do it today. Do it now.



But politicians WON'T do it.

I for one do not want higher taxes. Just because pols refuse to balance the budget & curb spending doesn't mean they have the right to take it from me.


"Taxation with representation isn't so hot, either."

The only buckets that can be meaningfully cut to offset the Trump/Ryan deficits are Social Security and Medicare.

What? Did you tear up your Socialist Party card? Why would you want to cut SS and Medicare and then campaign for it, like you know, free everything.

Buckets? That's cute. They are entitlements. There are government welfare programs to which none are entitled that could be cut.

And revenues will come up as unemployment numbers go down.

unemployment numbers can't really get much better than they are right now. What we need is wage growth. I'm hopeful that will happen, but it hasn't happened yet to any meaningful degree.

Fair enough.

(08-20-2018 06:28 PM)TigerBlue4Ever Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:24 PM)olliebaba Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:18 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:04 PM)umbluegray Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:01 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  There is nothing in stone saying revenues will come up. Right now, the economy is doing quite good but revenues are in the crapper. What happens to revenues if the economy begins to recede? What happens to spending if the economy recedes?

Cut spending across the board. Period.

Do it today. Do it now.



But politicians WON'T do it.

I for one do not want higher taxes. Just because pols refuse to balance the budget & curb spending doesn't mean they have the right to take it from me.


"Taxation with representation isn't so hot, either."

The only buckets that can be meaningfully cut to offset the Trump/Ryan deficits are Social Security and Medicare.

What? Did you tear up your Socialist Party card? Why would you want to cut SS and Medicare and then campaign for it, like you know, free everything.

Buckets? That's cute. They are entitlements. There are government welfare programs to which none are entitled that could be cut.

And revenues will come up as unemployment numbers go down.

I think all republicans should run on immediate cuts to medicare and social security.

(08-20-2018 05:32 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  I agree. The last time it was balanced a Democrat was, indeed, the President.

It wasn't balanced under Clinton. The debt increased each and every single year.

Tell me when it got closest to balanced under Clinton. Hint -- It wasn't when he and his party controlled the House, Senate and the Presidency.

(08-20-2018 05:22 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  This spike in deficits was 100% avoidable and belongs solely to Trump, Ryan and McConnell.

The deficit is driven by government programs like Obamacare costing far more than predicted—not because revenue fell.

(08-20-2018 09:55 PM)GeorgeBorkFan Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 05:32 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  I agree. The last time it was balanced a Democrat was, indeed, the President.

It wasn't balanced under Clinton. The debt increased each and every single year.

Tell me when it got closest to balanced under Clinton. Hint -- It wasn't when he and his party controlled the House, Senate and the Presidency.

It hasn’t been balanced in decades. It was never really balanced under Clinton. It just appeared balanced because they were spending the excess Social Security system payments that were supposed to go into Al Gores lockbox to keep the promises of Social Security (this was the fix Bob Dole dreamed up that dates back to the Reagan era). At least the Republicans tried to keep SS solvent.

(08-20-2018 06:28 PM)TigerBlue4Ever Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:24 PM)olliebaba Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:18 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:04 PM)umbluegray Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:01 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  There is nothing in stone saying revenues will come up. Right now, the economy is doing quite good but revenues are in the crapper. What happens to revenues if the economy begins to recede? What happens to spending if the economy recedes?

Cut spending across the board. Period.

Do it today. Do it now.



But politicians WON'T do it.

I for one do not want higher taxes. Just because pols refuse to balance the budget & curb spending doesn't mean they have the right to take it from me.


"Taxation with representation isn't so hot, either."

The only buckets that can be meaningfully cut to offset the Trump/Ryan deficits are Social Security and Medicare.

What? Did you tear up your Socialist Party card? Why would you want to cut SS and Medicare and then campaign for it, like you know, free everything.

Buckets? That's cute. They are entitlements. There are government welfare programs to which none are entitled that could be cut.

And revenues will come up as unemployment numbers go down.

Will the democrat party go on record and tell seniors that they want to cut social security and medicare? Considering the years of payroll tax deductions that we paid into these systems and the gov't agreements made to the people... Can't wait to see the show!

(08-20-2018 06:01 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 05:45 PM)Chappy Wrote:  The revenue will come up, takes time. But the spending is way too high.

There is nothing in stone saying revenues will come up. Right now, the economy is doing quite good but revenues are in the crapper. What happens to revenues if the economy begins to recede? What happens to spending if the economy recedes?

You are right that there is no guarantee revenues will increase. Now that we agree on that can you explain baseline budgeting. An automatic 10% increase to the federal budget every year is what is killing us. It’s the gift that really does keep on giving.

(08-20-2018 05:16 PM)umbluegray Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 04:27 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  #winningoncredit...lotsofcredit

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/federa...2018-08-10

What happened: Receipts fell 3% compared to last July, with the government getting less money from both corporations and individuals in the wake of the new tax law. Corporate revenues were down 34% as companies enjoyed a reduced 21% tax rate. And individuals continued to send fewer tax dollars to the Treasury, after lower withholding from paychecks took effect in February. President Donald Trump signed the law in December.

Spending, meanwhile, jumped by 10% in July as the government shelled out more for programs across the board. Interest payments on the public debt jumped by 41% in the month.

Well, that's what happens when you cut taxes but don't cut spending.

And if I recall Congress didn't want to cut spending.


Here's a really novel idea... STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY!!!!!

Reign it back in. Examine where $$$ is being spent. And make sound financial decisions.

You have to do that in your personal budget.

I have to do that in my personal budget.


We're not allowed to continue to spend, spend, spend -- especially when our income decreases.

This

We don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem.

Cut the cord, as the current vernacular is.

Get a freaking job. Sheesh

(08-20-2018 06:01 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 05:45 PM)Chappy Wrote:  The revenue will come up, takes time. But the spending is way too high.

There is nothing in stone saying revenues will come up. Right now, the economy is doing quite good but revenues are in the crapper. What happens to revenues if the economy begins to recede? What happens to spending if the economy recedes?

Fair point, Marc. I should have said that revenue should come up, as it takes time for the tax cuts to make it down to the majority of the people, who then increase their spending, which in turn should increase tax revenue. But my bigger point is that the federal government is spending far too much. That's one area the Republicans have failed. They promise to cut spending and they don't.

(08-21-2018 05:44 AM)miko33 Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:28 PM)TigerBlue4Ever Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:24 PM)olliebaba Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:18 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(08-20-2018 06:04 PM)umbluegray Wrote:  Cut spending across the board. Period.

Do it today. Do it now.



But politicians WON'T do it.

I for one do not want higher taxes. Just because pols refuse to balance the budget & curb spending doesn't mean they have the right to take it from me.


"Taxation with representation isn't so hot, either."

The only buckets that can be meaningfully cut to offset the Trump/Ryan deficits are Social Security and Medicare.

What? Did you tear up your Socialist Party card? Why would you want to cut SS and Medicare and then campaign for it, like you know, free everything.

Buckets? That's cute. They are entitlements. There are government welfare programs to which none are entitled that could be cut.

And revenues will come up as unemployment numbers go down.

Will the democrat party go on record and tell seniors that they want to cut social security and medicare? Considering the years of payroll tax deductions that we paid into these systems and the gov't agreements made to the people... Can't wait to see the show!

Democrats are not going to cut SS and Medicare. It is conservative Republicans, like Ryan, who have disdain for both programs and would like to see them wither on the vine.