re: #25 Dark_Falcon

Years of tremendous overspending by federal, state and local governments have brought us face-to-face with an economic crisis. Federal spending will total at least $3.8 trillion this year—double what it was 10 years ago. And unlike in 2001, when there was a small federal surplus, this year’s projected budget deficit is more than $1.6 trillion.

Several trillions more in debt have been accumulated by state and local governments. States are looking at a combined total of more than $130 billion in budget shortfalls this year. Next year, they will be in even worse shape as most so-called stimulus payments end (2).

For many years, I, my family and our company have contributed to a variety of intellectual and political causes working to solve these problems. Because of our activism, we’ve been vilified by various groups. Despite this criticism, we’re determined to keep contributing and standing up for those politicians, like Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who are taking these challenges seriously. (3)

Both Democrats and Republicans have done a poor job of managing our finances. They’ve raised debt ceilings, floated bond issues, and delayed tough decisions. (4)

In spite of looming bankruptcy, President Obama and many in Congress have tiptoed around the issue of overspending by suggesting relatively minor cuts in mostly discretionary items. There have been few serious proposals for necessary cuts in military and entitlement programs, even though these account for about three-fourths of all federal spending. (5)

Yes, some House leaders have suggested cutting spending to 2008 levels. But getting back to a balanced budget would mean a return to at least 2003 spending levels—and would still leave us with the problem of paying off our enormous debts.

1) You and your brother were conspicuously quiet for the past 8 years while your industries were getting all the perks and tax breaks they could swallow, even though spending and debt was soaring.

2) What do you mean, ‘so-called’ stimulus?

3) If Governor Walker were in fact taking debt and deficits seriously, he would not have added to them by giving more tax breaks. If he were taking them seriously, he would be doing something that would actually affect them, rather than saving pennies by attacking ideological opponents and giving away state assets to plutocrats.

4) True.

5) Also true. Yet for all this sudden concern about spending and debt, there is no mention of what it actually takes to reverse this, which would be spending cuts and tax increases. Transfer of wealth from middle class taxpayers to plutocrats, whether you use the government as an intermediary or not, does not fix this problem.

And, if I may editorialise for a moment, if you actually gave a shit about what was best for this great nation, you wouldn’t be spreading outright lies, fomenting divisive hatred and violence, and spreading sedition over a fucking three percent tax increase.