Our (US) Unsustainable Debt

Just like Congress!

So when does the finger pointing end, and work towards a real solution begin?

 

incentive doesn't always have to be monetary...

There can be the sheer delight in being the best at your grades, leading to your advancement into the scientific or medical community, where your name will be remembered, long after those that coasted through high school chasing skirts are sick of their job as a construction labourer, or baker etc....

Whats wrong with "incentive" in that department?

Something has to be done....we can't go on like this. These idiots wanted a bloody 'global economy", and now it's coming back to bite them on the arse. Now, an economic crisis in little Greece causes wordwide complications, rather than having a strictly localized effect.

And the punishment for failing to do your job as a financier? You don't get sacked, you get a BONUS. Your company gets bailed out....somebody else pays for it....

If we, the ordinary citizen, commit a crime, we go to jail. These guys simply keep on keeping on...

Keep at it then, gentlemen, and don't be suprised when the crime rate spirals upward, or you get a gun poked in your face for our troubles. All you are doing is setting society up for a dirty and bloody class conflict. And when you are lined up against the wall, pleading with the masses to spare your miserable lives, you may well remember the words of Hermann Goering on the day of his arrest...

"Well, at least I had 12 good years..."

 

AMEN and hallilujah! I was going to say the same thing-but glad you beat me too it. (35) your way ;-))

 

Perhaps a more honest approach would be to ask yourself how you benefitted from all the money the Government borrowed and rather than wish the pain in others consider what you will give up in order to repay the debt?

 

Michael, I have not gotten a penny from them with all of their spending-only those who dont deserve the money have recieved it. I could use a few thousand free dollars too especially now since the annointed one (aka) Jethrobama Bodine, has screwed me and made my damned Med insurance payments go from $94 a month to $200.00 a month. Nothing extra has been gained by me-no new services-no new med care nothing. The only thing gained was by the Ins Co because they more than doubled my ins rates thanks to the fool in office and its healthcare BS plan. Also, there are several Doctors I no longer can see thanks to the same jerko in office. Reason being is that they cant afford to take me with my curent plan as some of its fuinding was slashed by the turds in charge of this country.

 

Yes Erich, it does. Greece! Remind you of France in 1939-40. You should have The World At War in your library. Look at the Fall of France episode and the Riots in the streets. Same economic conditions brewing as in the 30s, rampant speculation(Sub prime mortgages), market drops 1000 points. The question is which of the PIGS will fall next. My bet Portugal. What will Russia do?
Talk with any Ukrainians, Estonians, Lithuanians, Latvians or Georgians lately? They are afraid of the Russians and their control over the regions oil/energy.

I think about the US cancelling the F-22 Raptor program as well as the retirement of all F-14s. Casualties of unsustainable debt. The Russians are building the Sukhoi T-50 PAK FAs and have planned a naval version. Granted they probably won't have numbers until 2013. Interesting reading in Janes and Proceedings. Readiness is not what it should be. Hopefully we'll have our government back with a new commander in chief.

What if the Iranians close the straits of hormuz and decide to launch one of their rockets off of a tramp steamer near the US coast? perhaps a proxied North Korean 2k or 10k warhead. EMP... bye bye US Market. The US recently has no credibility of force with these rogue nations. Israel will wack the Iranians in due course, then Beruit, Golan, and Gaza will light up like a Christmas tree. Some words for thought.

 

I could say that maybe you bought an Aircraft Carrier with the money that was borrowed. The true cost of the carrier should have been covered by tax income but instead money was borrowed and your tax was kept artificialy low. Would you have been willing to do without it or pay more tax in order to stay in budget?
I am not being funny but you can see how someone else might look at it that way. It really does not matter where the money went because the problem is the money was spent for the benefit of Americans. Really it is exactly the same situation as Greece is in the difference being that you can still borrow more money to cover the shortfall. You may argue among yourselves who 'got' from the money but it does not change the fact it was to 'your' advantage.
The UK is in the same situation so it isn't confined to the USA.

 

M Kenny, the bottom line is we don't need to be borrowing from China to lend to Greece. Weak financial economies beget internal and external violence which can lead to war, as it has in the past. The big defense players Germany, France, UK and US need to maintain readiness. Russia has been building using their oil assets to recoup what they lost following Gorbachev. Granted the Russians are nothing like they were in 88. Just wondering if you caught the Ukrainian parliamental brawl the other day over the Russian naval lease.

 

The point is you did 'borrow' and this borrowing kept your taxes lower than they should have been.
What I am after is an idea of how much extra tax you were prepared to pay or an indication of Government spending you think you should do without.
I am after someone telling me how much of their 'pork' they are willing to do away with rather than claims the other guys 'pork' should be cut.
Thus I wanted someone who thinks the Armed Forces are the most important department to explain how much of its spending they would cut to stay in budget.

 

Yeah it's funny we don't hear US out of the Balkans that much.

 

Agreed, somewhat, tremendous amount of pork, see Jack Murtha and his so called expenditure on the military. Much unnecessary spending goes on concerning defense. However the F-22 and the F-35 are essential for air superiority, if in doubt talk to the Iraqis who experienced B-52 strikes. Same in WWII for the French retreating and the straffed refugees. Airpower is king on the battlefield. If you don't believe in Peace through Strength then there is really no point in discussion.

 

Which brings me back to my original question. How much extra tax are you prepared to pay for this 'strength' or are you content to let the Chinese pay whilst you spend your money on gas and beer?

 

well colonel you might be surprised how able and ready the military really is, if we totally back our belief system upon local/fed government then we are doomed

 

Hi Michael, I dont have aproblem with anything you said. The whole problem is-that had Jethrobama Bodine kept his mitts out of my healthcare plans-I would still be paying $94 dollars a month and I would still be allowed to see those Doctors that I now cannot see-unless i pay them out of pocket-which I cannot afford to do. The simple way out of this mess is if they flat out cancel the whole healthcare disaster and then maybe find a few things that really need to be reformed and then go from there. Nothing good has come from all of this.

I know its not just confined to the Colonies and I really do feel for you guys over there who are getting shafted up the wazoo bigtime and cant do anything about it. I have quite a ew friends living all ove Europe and I definately get more than an ear full of their complaints. The plus side is that on retirement, many of them are strongly considering moving here to the USA or to Canada at the least. I am strongly encouraging them to do so as we still have plenty of room over here for them to come live on ;-)) Your quite welcome to move here as well-if you ever get tired of all the nonsense?

 

With respect and sincerity, I am always interested in some light reading, if you have any material please pm me with some info.

$787 billion would have bought quite a few F-22s and F-35s and throw in a few Arleigh Burke class destroyers, or Gerald R Fords. No extra tax need be spent, just smarter allocation of Tax Payer resources whilst I enjoy a nice trip to Positano or a Filet Mignon with a nice Chianti(place Anthony Hopkins sound byte here)



Rather than the unworthy.