Cut Military or Raise Taxes, take your pick

[alucard13mmfmj]

If California agreed to raise their own damn taxes (without cuts).. I am sure the rest of America will agree to it too

[furface]

If California agreed to raise their own damn taxes (without cuts).. I am sure the rest of America will agree to it too

I attribute this to Republicans losing their focus, which should be small government. If Republicans were pure in their ideology, people would take them more seriously. As it is people see them as hypocrites. They claim to be in favor of small government, yet push for huge militaries and big, gnarly police forces + prison states chasing after things like the war on drugs.

A more libertarian Republican party would have more credibility and thus the ability to sway people with their arguments.

[alucard13mmfmj]

I attribute this to Republicans losing their focus, which should be small government. If Republicans were pure in their ideology, people would take them more seriously. As it is people see them as hypocrites. They claim to be in favor of small government, yet push for huge militaries and big, gnarly police forces + prison states chasing after things like the war on drugs.

A more libertarian Republican party would have more credibility and thus the ability to sway people with their arguments.

I am a lil bit angry about it. State sales tax increase AND income tax increase starting jan 2013.

[furface]

I am a lil bit angry about it. State sales tax increase AND income tax increase starting jan 2013.

To pay to enrich the largest idle/affluent class in history, US public sector unions. Republicans have failed to get this message across. At the federal level it's because too many Republicans & too much Republican money comes from people & entities that benefit from federal over spending.

At the CA state level it's because Republicans are in bed with "public safety" and prison unions. CA Democrats are linked to school + administrative unions, Republicans to "public safety." A few libertarian leaning politicians are attempting to change the situation, but it's going very slowly in CA.

That's my take on what's going on. Too many people leeching off the system. Public sector unions, private contractors, & monetary monopolists including banks & investment houses.

[tod evans]

I am a lil bit angry about it. State sales tax increase AND income tax increase starting jan 2013.

Is there a reason you don't move?

[Elwar]

The best way to defend the country would to have a well regulated militia and the right to bear arms.

[kcchiefs6465]

Is there a reason you don't move?

These 'just move' comments are getting a little ridiculous, IMO. I would say the vast majority of Americans are not financially stable to move to another state. (This rant isn't entirely directed towards you. I've just been seeing this comment a lot lately and finally decided to respond.)

One- Moving out of state costs a lot of money. Most people don't have the kind of savings to afford this, let alone to live off of while looking for employment.

Two- Family. Many people can't simply up and go because they have obligations to their kids, parents, etc. Not to mention it is always a good idea to have family nearby to fall back on should something unexpected happen. (House burning down, medical problems, etc.)

Three- Chances are it is not going to be any better where ever you happen to end up. The risk does not come close to the reward of a few hundred to few thousand dollars a year savings on taxes. Not unless you are offered a hell of a job that would be considered a sure thing is it at all wise to move out of state.

Meant with all due respect tod evans. I've seen this comment a few times too many times and really don't believe it to be feasible to the majority of the population. And even if it was finanically feasible for one to just up and move to New Hampshire, it is not emotionally feasible for a lot of people to travel too far away from family and what they consider home.

[kcchiefs6465]

The best way to defend the country would to have a well regulated militia and the right to bear arms.

Amen. Unban automatic rifles and they'd see what would happen if someone rolled up on our shores.

[Kregisen]

Let's check the math. Can we balance the budget without raising taxes? (let's assume that this is a goal though I am not convinced it really is). What and where do we cut?

Try to take $1.3 trillion from this (figures for 2010- latest I can find with a nice breakdown and $1.3 trillion was the shortfall for that year). If we skip Defense and Social Security/ Medicare stuff (voters won't like you if you touch them)you have to cut $1.3 trillion out of $715 billion in spending. Can't be done. We can let you keep about $78 billion for defense if we cut everything else to zero (keeping Social Security/ Medicare) and not worry about raising taxes.

Keep in mind U.S. military spending is much more than simply Department of Defense spending. Look at analysis here:
http://antiwar.com/blog/2012/02/20/t...et-1-trillion/

or here:

http://www.alternet.org/story/150401...get?paging=off


To answer your question....yes we can balance the budget. Ron Paul's plan balanced it in year 3.

[Demigod]

All we can do is try and turn it around...however...

''Why did Rome Fall?

There are adherents to single factors, but more people think a combination of such factors as Christianity, decadence, lead, monetary trouble, and military problems caused the Fall of Rome. Imperial incompetence and chance could be added to the list. Even the rise of Islam is proposed as the reason for Rome's fall, by some who think the Fall of Rome happened at Constantinople in A.D. 1453.''

Well Rome did fell in Carigrad/Constantinople in 1453,and the only reason Carigrad/Constantinople lasted almost 1000 years more than Rome although facing much more powerful enemies on all fronts is because unlike the west the East never inflated their currency and always used gold and silver as their currency of choice + having a more local structure of direct governance + no religious unrest.But the decadence problem was one they inherited and in the end it destroyed them.