Federal Deficit

[Temerit]

I don't believe I have ever come across a single democrat that is unwilling to cut any social programs ever. And social programs are on a fraction of the budget, so its not exactly a parallel.

 

[DrLeftover]

Technically, everything, is 'a fraction' of the budget.



The rational alternative, is a moderate tax increase, including raising taxes on the politician's buddy's on Wall Street that they were talking about exempting, as well as massive, across the board, REAL, cuts.

 

[Temerit]

That's my point though, refusing to raise any taxes ever is refusing to increase revenue...



However even if someone were refusing to ever cut social programs, that wouldn't mean they weren't unwilling to shrink the budget at all..

 

[DrLeftover]

Of course Mr. Obama is doing his part to keep the Federal Budget down.



It's not from FOX, we all know they're just a bunch of haters.

In his numerous fund-raising and policy speeches around the country these days, President Obama often bemoans the difficult economic times and uncertainties afflicting millions of Americans, including the nearly 14 million still seeking work unsuccessfully.



The Democrat argues that his administration needs more time to straighten out the economic mess left by somebody else, who's been gone almost 900 days now.



But good news this morning: The challenging Obama era and 9.1% national unemployment rate do not include the 454 people now helping President Obama do presidential things.



This crowd is being paid a total of $37,121,463 this year. That's up seven staff members and nearly $4 million from 2008, the last year of George W. Bush's presidency.



Fully 141 Obama aides -- or nearly one-in-three -- earn more than $100,000 a year. That's also up from the 130 with that scale salary in Bush's last year.



Twenty-one Obama aides earn the top-dollar $172,200.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/07/obama-white-house-salaries-soar.html

 

[Temerit]

Wow!!! 4 million dollars could solve the budget? Who knew?! Whoever wrote that blog must be a genius, he found what is causing all our nation's financial problems!!!



Also, I think haters is an inaccurate characterization for Fox as a whole. Yes, the Fox News network does hate on anything Obama does, regardless of whether the Right wing supported it in the past, but Fox News does a lot more than hate. They are a propaganda machine for the Republican party.

 

[DrLeftover]

That's the way the Federal Budget has grown to what it is.



And there is always the idea that the President, and his staff, should lead by example.



That way they couldn't run the headline:

White House Staffers Got a Raise Last Year, And You Did Not

http://gawker.com/5818310







You are much too young to remember this one:



A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon, you're talking real money.

US Senator Everett Dirksen (1896 - 1969)

 

[Evil Eye]

A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon, you're talking real money.

US Senator Everett Dirksen (1896 - 1969)

What was that about?

 

[DrLeftover]

What was that about?

That was in answer to T's remark

Wow!!! 4 million dollars could solve the budget?

And my pointing out that that is how the federal budget got so huge....



A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon, you're talking real money.

US Senator Everett Dirksen (1896 - 1969)

 

[DrLeftover]

(somehow my answer got duplicated. please delete this)

 

[Evil Eye]

And my pointing out that that is how the federal budget got so huge....



A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon, you're talking real money.

US Senator Everett Dirksen (1896 - 1969)

Yeah, but was it used for that originally?

 

[DrLeftover]

Yeah, but was it used for that originally?

Based on the following evidence, I withdraw the statement.





http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_emd_billionhere.htm





Gee. If I just post the link, you'll have to go read the page yourself.





Oh well.

 

[Temerit]

A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon, you're talking real money.

US Senator Everett Dirksen (1896 - 1969)

We were talking millions though.

 

[DrLeftover]

Nevermind.

 

[Evil Eye]

Based on the following evidence, I withdraw the statement.

That site does have some nice comparisons to replace it with... Thanks for the link.

 

[DrLeftover]

Your tax dollars at work.



Nice, eh?

Two never-finished Navy ships head to scrap heap

They are the two ships no one wanted, almost constantly embroiled in one dispute or another for the past 25 years. The two Navy behemoths have never gone on a mission, were never even completed, yet they cost taxpayers at least $300 million.



Now the vessels, the Benjamin Isherwood and the Henry Eckford, are destined to leave Virginia waters for good and be scrapped at a Texas salvage yard, with no money coming back to the U.S. Treasury.



The Isherwood, stretching more than 660 feet, began its final journey this week, unceremoniously towed Tuesday from its mooring spot in the James River Reserve Fleet, also known as the ghost fleet, near Fort Eus-tis in Newport News.

http://hamptonroads.com.nyud.net/2011/07/two-neverfinished-navy-ships-head-scrap-heap

 

[DrLeftover]

More losses for taxpayers.



Again, it isn't from those haters at Fox.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- U.S. taxpayers likely lost $1.3 billion in the government bailout of Chrysler, the Treasury Department announced Thursday.



The government recently sold its remaining 6% stake in the company to Italian automaker Fiat, wrapping up the 2009 auto bailouts that were part of TARP.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/07/21/autos/chrysler_government_exit/index.htm?cnn=yes&hpt=hp_t2

 

[Temerit]

Alright, you've posted 1.6 billion in losses...



What's your point?

 

[DrLeftover]

Obama's speech: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/07/25/address-president-nation



Boehner's speech: http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/speaker-boehners-debt-ceiling-speech_577405.html

 

[Evil Eye]

I still find it amazing how countries can pretty much spend and keep spending without ever paying anything back... Companies break down and disappear, countries apparently can't do that

 

[DrLeftover]

More good news from DC



Treasuries Decline as Obama Threatens to Veto House Speaker’s Debt Plan

Treasuries fell, eroding a gain from yesterday, as President Barack Obama threatened to veto House Speaker John Boehner’s plan to raise the U.S. debt ceiling and reduce spending by $3 trillion.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-...eatens-to-veto-house-speaker-s-debt-plan.html