That's true Cannibal. The Repubs in Congress have been pathetic in restraining spending over the last 7-8 years. I would love to actually see a federal budget go down rather than up.

Unfortunately, for Reps they dont have the political will to cut the spending that needs to be actually cut. Everything should be cut accross the board since we dont have the money to fund every damn thing under the sun.

As a Republican I agree that spending has got to be reigned in. Were should we start? School lunches? No, that starves children. Entitlements for those who refuse to work? What are you a racist? Medicare? Meet the AARP. I know... the Military. Those facist only want more and more nukes.

I wouldn't mind seeing spending cuts equally across the board either.

But I don't think we should cut social programs out totally. There are people who truly need them. My mother was one. She did not abuse the system however.

I do think it could come back to bite Bush in the arse as far as exponentially increasing military spending and giving a large tax cut at the same time.

Cannabal,

You've hit the nail on the head.

There are people like myself that feel we do need to beef up our military ~ it's an essential element to our freedom. Without it, we won't have the ability to help people like your mother.

I believe that there are many, many social programs that are not as critical as our military. There are so many, that we could find enough to dramatically cut the budget without hurting the people that really need our help.

I think it's going to take us, the average citizen, to stand up and demand that our politicians start making hard (and real) choices. Setting priorities ~ not just bashing the other side.

Luz
just my opinion...

Why do you guys want to beef up the mlitary? To fight who? If ever I've seen the chance, in my 56 years, to cut military spending, it is now. There are no superpowers left, but us. Lets take advantage of the relative peace & put that money where it will do more good. We were not at all prepared for WWII but we got prepared in one hell of a hurry. We can do thatagain & again. It is all technology now, not brute strength. We lead in both, I'm happy to say.

Skip - Ever hear of China? It is a country 1 billion strong and growing. WHile they are not the military threat that the USSR was, they are more volatile than any superpower in the last 200 years. No one knows what they will do next.

I suggest reading The China Threat by Bill Gertz. Even the left has stated that not only is Bill a good read, but well informed and put together in a format that is easily understood.

Here are some quick quotes from the book

Chinese Newspaper Journalist He Xing

Huan Xiang, National Security Advisor for the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army


Colonel Wang Benzhi of the Chinese PLA

People also argued that the friends of WWII would never be our enemies and that the USSR should be a trusted friend.

Skip,

The simple truth is that in todays world of high technology and mass destruction, we would never be given the time to 'gear up' as we did in WWII.

We 'gear up' now, or give up our sovereignty.

There is another, perhaps larger, aspect of this that is not being addressed.

We are spending billions of dollars of private money in China and other Pacific Rim countries to expand our economic sphere of influence around the world. There is no question that this is good for America.

Question
What keeps China and other countries from nationalizing our assets there?

Luz
we need a strong defense...

Clint, that is not likely how it will work dependinging on your company. Most companies payrolls are computerized, they realize that if they continue to withhold at the current rate you will just pay less or receive a greater refund next spring and will not likely spend the money to alter their payroll systems until the end of the year when they would do it anyway.

So, if you want to see a greater net for the remainder of the year your best bet is to alter your exemption deductions increasing them by 1 which should account for the total change for the rest of the year(try to contact your payroll depart to confirm that they will or will not be instituting the new rates in their payroll software first). If you do this you should be positioned for the same refund or payment as last year provided there has been no significant change in your yearly earnings, while increasing your net on each paycheck for the remainder of the year. Next year you would want to change back your exemption deductions so that when your company changes the payroll software you will have the right amount deducted.

A sure sign that the apocalypse is upon us.......
 

Luzap and Cannibal agree on a POLITICAL issue!?!?!?




Never thought i'd see the day........................

Cannibal: I dont think we should cut social programs out totally, just the ones that are miserable failures. The real problem areas are SS and Medicare they will bleed us dry in less than 20 years.

Skip,

Don't look past the European Union either. They are combining their resources as well as their technologies creating potentially VERY viable opponent. I would like to believe that they would never attack us but it simply cannot be disregarded. The French worry me more than anyone in the Union and seem to have more control over it than anyone else. We pretend to back the Union but I can assure you, a united Europe is NOT in our best interest.

I think Luz misunderstood me.

I don't want to increase military spending. If we stayed at our current level of spending, or even cut military spending slighty we would still remain light years ahead of the second place nation.

Like I said, I favor cuts across the board, not just in social programs.

If we do abolish social security, then I want all the money I've put into it back right now.

If we tax less, we must spend less. It's simple economics.

BTW,

I tried to reply at work on my lunch hour, but of course the board was down. It's down pretty much everday between 12:15 to 1:00-1:30.

It's really starting to get annoying.

I could post during work hours, but I try not to do that, because that's not what I'm getting paid for.

Big Daddy - I apreciate your concern over a unified Europe. But what have those folks ever agreed on except their hatred of the Nazis. I also appreciate Luz and Da Wolf's fear of China. (Because they have so many people). Peope in great numbers doesn't matter anymore. It used to, see Korea. Ask Saddam Hussein what a "million man army" is worth against a few stealth aircraft. China, with its MFN status doesn't need to nationalize our interest and would indeed be foolish to do so. It is wise to be aware of potential threats and thus be forewarned but not to the extent of seeing "a commie behind every tree". I am not a politico & have no intention of entering into a debate of this fashion. I simply think we are being presented an opportuniy to spend our money on something more constructive at this moment. An opportunity that I have not seen before in my 56 years of existence.

Cannabal,

I wasn't trying to say that we were in agreement, but rather, that you have outlined the problem well.

I agree that spending needs to be cut ~ PERIOD.

The problem is, politicians don't do that. The argument is always over which programs deserve to be increased more than others.

We, as a people, need to force our politicians to make the committment to cut the budget first ~ then decide where to cut (A balanced budget amendment perhaps)?

I believe that in an open forum of ideas, we would reach common agreement on the importance of the military (no offense Skip). I also believe that when politicians are finally forced to fight over a finite amount of dollars, much of the waiste will mysteriousely disapear.

It would be like shining the light of truth on the dark secret of our budget process.

Luz
i truly believe most Americans would want the same things here...