Harrisburg mayor asks God to balance the budget

Joe wrote: Prayin may be all that is left. I really am starting to believe that 1/2 the voters in the country have no freaking clue how bad of a fiscal problem this country is in. It is not going away without some serious pain and adjustment.

I think a good majority of Americans do understand how bad things are....what they don't understand is why only the poor and middle classes feel the pain, while the wealthy and the big corps appear to be untouched. Maybe God can explain it to them...

Well archer, that is a misconception that is part of the problem. That the wealthy can come to the rescue of 300 Million people. Confiscate all the wealth of the Forbes top 100, and it barely makes a dent in one-year's National deficit. And then they are wiped out. Then who do you go to the next year? The math does not add up. There is a serious math deficiency in this country.
Lets take GE for example, say the CEO makes $20 Million. Lets give him 0 salary, and divide it up among 300,000 employees. Each employee gets 66 bucks. Now they are happy again? NOT.

Sorry. Try again.

Please show me where I said the wealthy should come to our rescue? Or is that you seeing what you want to see in my post? I simply think the wealthy should share in the sacrifice that the conservatives say we need to make to cut our spending. Is there some good reason you think wealthy Americans should be exempt from sharing im economic sacrifice?

I don't think anyone is exempt. Plenty of people rich and poor lost a lot of money during this recession in stocks and housing. How are the wealthy exempt exactly?

Are you willing to let the tax breaks for those making more than 250k expire? That would hardly be asking them to come to the rescue...only to contribute a larger share than they are now. While the middle class has had stagnant wages, the wealthy have been thriving. The wealth gap continues to widen between the wealthy and the middle class. If you doubt that....google. it...and it has been posted here many times. I'm on a cell phone or I would look it up for you.

Nope. I want the tax reform recommended by the deficit commission (Obama's appointed team). Lower rates and few or no deductions. Higher rates are a smokescreen. Its the deductions. How many times do we need to splain this?

Anyway, your idea is worth $100 billion/year anyway. Chump change.

Keep squeezing the stone; there isn't any more blood left to get. I fear we are on the brink of a pre-world war one Germany when it was cheaper to use the money as wall paper than currency.

Right. The rich are getting richer...what stone would be getting squeezed?

Every bit of extra income helps.

Your defense of the wealthy just proves my point that when it comes to helping reduce the deficit conservatives are not about to touch their sacred cows....the wealthy and big corporations. But medicaid and other programs for low income Americans are fair game.

archer wrote: Your defense of the wealthy just proves my point that when it comes to helping reduce the deficit conservatives are not about to touch their sacred cows....the wealthy and big corporations. But medicaid and other programs for low income Americans are fair game.

You are so right, let's rape the people who have worked hard to improve their own plight and offer jobs to others through increased industry and expanded capitalism. After all, attacking those who made themselves better by hard work and dedication should be made to suffer for their "sins" against those who are not as motivated or wait for the US 'Gubment to pay their way for them.

Last time I checked in the USA you are not entitled to a job, a house, or health care but many think those issues are rights. I'm not having it. I grew up poor and I'm not ashamed of it mostly because I pulled myself up out of the dirt by working hard and not expecting or taking hand outs.

By your notion I ought to stay home and wait for the checks to arrive in the mail box, let some one else go and bust their ass for 50-60 hours a week, they owe me.