LadyJazzer wrote: Oh, lessee...We could cut $4 BILLION a year on unnecessary tax subsidies to the oil companies... We could reduce the military budget by about 20%+, and for every unnecessary extra second jet-engine we DON'T build for a single-engine plane, we could probably take care of a few thousand people...
And let the Bush tax-cuts expire...FOR EVERYBODY...
Problem solved....
Those are concrete suggestions, instead of the usual babbling right-wing talking-points and generalizations.
Nice to see a specific proposal to fix Medicare since the Democratic party doesn't have one, and I predict they won't have one before the 2012 elections. They'll just keep demonizing the Ryan proposal. And I predict they won't have their own proposal after the elections either, unless they win back Congress and keep the White House. It's just much easier for them to demonize any honest proposal that admits Medicare is in huge trouble. They'd rather be above it all and pretend tough choices don't have to be made. I actually think the Republicans made a mistake making their proposal before the elections, because that's going to create the main Democrat talking points during the election.
I wish we had a 285 Budget Office to see if even your proposal would save Medicare. For me, I'd rather do more like chickaree suggested. Instead of paying for Medicare with unrelated things like income tax and defense, why not pay for it with related items? Increase the Medicare tax, and increase Medicare premiums for those who can afford it with means testing. Let people really know what this program is costing them. And yes, even reduce benefits. No, don't let people die, but why pay for every routine doctor visit for those who can afford it? And there should be a deductible and copay for everyone, although that may already be the case.
And Medicare needs to tighten up on the fraud. Perhaps they need to develop an approved provider list like private insurance has so they don't keep paying money to fly-by-night operations that open and close offices and give fake charges which Medicare keeps paying.
But as I said, we need that 2BO. Just how much will it cost to keep Medicare similar to what it presently is?
"The president conveniently avoided any specifics on his Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board and his getaway plan," House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) said. "And his speech contained not one mention of those laser-beam motion detectors that you can't even see unless you have an aerosol spray that makes them visible. What about those, Mr. President?"
In a party-line vote earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed Rep. Ryan's rival plan, which includes across-the-board tax cuts, tunneling under the Bureau of Printing and Engraving, sending an electrical surge through its security system, and stealing the engraving plates so that "we can print off as much money as we want."
LadyJazzer wrote: Oh, lessee...We could cut $4 BILLION a year on unnecessary tax subsidies to the oil companies... We could reduce the military budget by about 20%+, and for every unnecessary extra second jet-engine we DON'T build for a single-engine plane, we could probably take care of a few thousand people...
And let the Bush tax-cuts expire...FOR EVERYBODY...
Problem solved....
Those are concrete suggestions, instead of the usual babbling right-wing talking-points and generalizations.
I agree with you. In more ways than one, this is a "phony emergency". The Republicans are taking advantage of the economic crisis to try to shove down our throats an agenda of austerity that hardly anyone would have accepted if they hadn't been scared into it by being told we will go "bankrupt" if they don't give up Medicare. It's BS of a high order.
But i suspect they are taking a very big risk of it blowing up in their face.
Well, where are these suggestions coming from, the left?
Haven't seen them... You have all the answers, well I guess your Reps./Senators/ don't see it the way you do...
Why hasn't our feckless leader voiced these suggestions?
Edited:"reduce the military budget by about 20%+" Starting with the TSA, then the borders, cool, NO MORE body scans, Open borders, solves everything... Get your burka ready lj
1) Removing tax-subsidies for the oil companies - being introduced right now
2) Cutting the military budget - proposed several times, being submitted again...(But every time it is, the neo-cons trot out the "cut & run" signs they keep in the basement.
3) Doing away with the unnecessary jet-engine program - PASSED, over the objections of Boehner, in whose district the pork project resided.
4) Bush Tax Cuts expiration - Attempted last year; blocked by the GOP... Obama vows they will NOT be extended this time.
If you haven't seen them, you're either not paying attention, or you choose to remain willfully ignorant.
TPP wrote:
"reduce the military budget by about 20%+" Starting with the TSA, then the borders, cool, NO MORE body scans, Open borders, solves everything... Get your burka ready
You get your burka, I've got semi-automatic weapons. rofllol
AspenValley wrote: How partisan is it to just brush off the issues the article raises with a totally unsupported statement like "the ruckus is caused by paid union members"?
And I absolutely do not agree with you that everyone is "just fine with it after having it explained to them" about having programs they have been expecting to be there for them in their old age being dismantled with lightning speed. You are totally out of touch with reality if you believe that.
Go to a rally, ask who the people are. They are govt union members.
No, everyone is not "just fine with it", you are right, but most, I'd say a vast majority of Americans understand the current entitlement system and unfunded govt pension plans are unsustainable. We address it now, or address it later at a much greater cost.
The Ryan plan doesn't touch those under 55 (or is it 50, I can't remember). Fine, negotiate it down so it doesn't touch anyone over 45, but address it. The promises made CANNOT be paid. It is fiscally impossible.
Too bad future generations aren't here to see all the great things we are spending their $$ on!!
AspenValley wrote: And conversely, everyone wants to cut off everyone elses free ride and hang on to their own.
However, when it comes to programs like Social Security and Medicare, the continuing existence of which people have been assured of for decades and therefore made lifelong financial decisions based on that premise, it seems to me it is quite a different kettle of fish than cutting back on military spending or regulatory programs or food stamps.
My feeling is that a lot of people, and yes, a lot of them Republicans, were more than fine with the idea of slashing government spending so long as it was someone elses ox being gored. Faced with cuts that will hurt them personally, I think they are a little less than enchanted with the idea. If Republican leaders don't figure this out, they are going to get trounced in the next election.
I think everything has to be on the table. Massive spending cuts, and tax reform. But EVERYONE needs to sacrifice. No exclusions. Just raising taxes on the wealthy will is like taking a cup of water out of the ocean. You would have to take all their income...and that still wouldn't stem the tide.
Too bad future generations aren't here to see all the great things we are spending their $$ on!!
