To start the Discussion
The following is basically where I stand on a host of issues taken from the Freespire Forums. Please do not go over there and continue the discussion as it really is ill fitted for the Freespire Community but fits perfectly within the confines of discussion within this blog. Feel free to comment away, provided profanity is left out. Remember Politics is not a personal game but instead a means of using power.
Political discussion is best when it surrounds effective communication and clarity of ones views. Note if you find the original post I have gone in and edited my many spelling and typo mistakes in an effort to make this far more clear than just the quick spurt of thought that erupted from my finger tips originally.
[quote=grathganor]That is not quite true though understandable how you could come to the conclusion. National Debt is better thought of as a percent of National Wealth. While it is true that our debt has grown, in relation to the total wealth of the nation it has gone down. Keep in mind too that Bill Clinton never paid down the National Debt, he (with the help of the 104th Congress that left him little choice) worked on paying down the National Spending deficit. The debt was never actually paid down in any real fashion.
Before we start finding ways to pay off our debt, most likely a Democrat would vouch for raising taxes while simultaneously increasing Government Spending on Government programs, we should consider how to best avoid a recession. Since we have not truly entered a recession, it would be better to lower taxes across the board. Lowering taxes brings in more tax revenue this is historically true and a much easier way to start paying off the debt.
Edit: Note that lowering taxes is hardly a Republican invention. When JFK was President he lowered taxes by nearly 30% across the board. I would argue for lowering it just by 15% to start with if that showed signs of working continue by incremental decreases of 5% to a tax burden not to go below 15% on the "Rich" taxes as they are would pretty much remain Zero for the "working poor" and the "middle class" should lag around 10%. This of course on the basis of staying with our so-called "progressive tax" system, as some of you know I am much more in favor of a flat tax or fair tax approach covered elsewhere please don't repeat discussion here.
The next thing would be spending cuts in order:
1. Start cutting is Foreign Aid to countries outside of our direct war involvement. Those that we are occupying or that are assisting in the "War on Terror" (poorly named since terror is a tactic and we are truly at odds with "Islamic Jihadism", though a true Jihad would not be fought this way).
2. Government Handouts again in order
* Corporate Welfare Reform
* Civil Welfare Reform
3. Start opening room for drilling in anware while simultaneously lowering the fines
for the production of Nuclear Power plants.
* Nuclear Power is how France fields most of their energy needs it is efficient and it is relatively environmental safe.
* Damn the treaties we have on nuclear fuel with the rest of the world. Instead of storing the spent rods recycle them into weapons grade material to be used for said means. As it is China has been flaunting to us they have missiles that can reach LA since 1999. Do you think they would make such a weapon without the desire to use it?
* Don't enter into any more International Environmental treaties period. There is no reason we cannot regulate ourselves and businesses that wish to operate within our borders (within reason), however the nations we are competing against don't care about the treaties (such as China and India) and are producing far more Carbon than we are.
4. Create tax incentives for environment friendly vehicles.
* Increase the tax break for people willing to purchase hybrids particularly American Hybrid Vehicles. Perhaps scaled so that there is a break to purchase a hybrid and a greater tax break if you purchase an American make.
* Give a tax break to auto makers who are producing more environmentally friendly vehicles.
5. Provide Tax incentives to Oil Companies (yes oil companies) that produce more
refineries.
* The last Oil Refinery I could find was built in the 1970's here is one link to reporting on this (Biased link I know) http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/news/ntn12966.htm
* Initially lower some of the environmental regulations for the production of such new plants in an effort to make them a more attractive an investment for Oil companies to produce.
* Work with States to get rid of the Ethanol mandates in fuel. While it appears to be more Environmentally friendly on the surface it produces the same if not more Carbon Emit ions in the process of making it. And the hidden cost produced by Government mandated corn purchases is driving up the cost of Corn, as well as all animal products that rely on corn for feeding.
* Double the funding on renewable fuel research in the form of grant money, offer tax incentives for projects on: Hydrogen Cell research, Compressed Air Engines (if I remember correctly France has a few Compressed Air Vehicles, I remember this from some environmental research place I visited a while back)
6. Most important in my book and not because of my job, my line of work was
chosen because I honestly believe this is the most important role. Reinforce
the role of National Defense.
* On September 11, 2001 we were attracted by a vicious and evil foe. His name was not Ossoma Bin Laden (though he was the leader of the cause) but instead Islamic Jiadism. While many of us wish for us to get out of Iraq, the truth is Iraq is tied to the War on Terror, not directly to Bin Laden but to Islamic Jiadism most definitely.
* World War II ended in 1945 yet we still have a military presence in Germany, Italy, and Japan. We stayed in part for purposes of rebuilding commitment as well as a more strategic front in the looming threat of the Soviet Union.
* Today we cannot just pull out of Iraq for the same reasons above. We owe it to ourselves and to Iraq to stay and help rebuild. Rebuilding provides the stability that Iraq needs to be a becon of hope modeled with freedom in mind but in the form best suited for their people.
* We owe it to ourselves to stay because a stable Iraq is a less likely breeding ground for terror.
* We should stay because staying reinforces our international credibility. Yes this is important, loss of international credibility is part of the reason Bin Laden thought we were in a weak enough position to be attacked in the first place.
* We should stay for the Strategic point of the looming threats of Iran, and China. Iraq is a good launching point for both campaigns, particularly since our European bases are not required (nor our presence requested with a more stable Russia) and real estate we are leasing at increased costs anyway.
While I am concerned about life, and think that it is an important issue it is not my voting issue. I just feel that it needs to be articulated . As for Gay Marriage, I hardly believe that a homosexual couple that desires to enter into a life long commitment should be denied the legal rights of marriage, I do however believe that Marriage is an institution designed by God for Men and Women (in other words give it everything but the name and I will be happy)[/quote]
Political discussion is best when it surrounds effective communication and clarity of ones views. Note if you find the original post I have gone in and edited my many spelling and typo mistakes in an effort to make this far more clear than just the quick spurt of thought that erupted from my finger tips originally.
[quote=grathganor]That is not quite true though understandable how you could come to the conclusion. National Debt is better thought of as a percent of National Wealth. While it is true that our debt has grown, in relation to the total wealth of the nation it has gone down. Keep in mind too that Bill Clinton never paid down the National Debt, he (with the help of the 104th Congress that left him little choice) worked on paying down the National Spending deficit. The debt was never actually paid down in any real fashion.
Before we start finding ways to pay off our debt, most likely a Democrat would vouch for raising taxes while simultaneously increasing Government Spending on Government programs, we should consider how to best avoid a recession. Since we have not truly entered a recession, it would be better to lower taxes across the board. Lowering taxes brings in more tax revenue this is historically true and a much easier way to start paying off the debt.
Edit: Note that lowering taxes is hardly a Republican invention. When JFK was President he lowered taxes by nearly 30% across the board. I would argue for lowering it just by 15% to start with if that showed signs of working continue by incremental decreases of 5% to a tax burden not to go below 15% on the "Rich" taxes as they are would pretty much remain Zero for the "working poor" and the "middle class" should lag around 10%. This of course on the basis of staying with our so-called "progressive tax" system, as some of you know I am much more in favor of a flat tax or fair tax approach covered elsewhere please don't repeat discussion here.
The next thing would be spending cuts in order:
1. Start cutting is Foreign Aid to countries outside of our direct war involvement. Those that we are occupying or that are assisting in the "War on Terror" (poorly named since terror is a tactic and we are truly at odds with "Islamic Jihadism", though a true Jihad would not be fought this way).
2. Government Handouts again in order
* Corporate Welfare Reform
* Civil Welfare Reform
3. Start opening room for drilling in anware while simultaneously lowering the fines
for the production of Nuclear Power plants.
* Nuclear Power is how France fields most of their energy needs it is efficient and it is relatively environmental safe.
* Damn the treaties we have on nuclear fuel with the rest of the world. Instead of storing the spent rods recycle them into weapons grade material to be used for said means. As it is China has been flaunting to us they have missiles that can reach LA since 1999. Do you think they would make such a weapon without the desire to use it?
* Don't enter into any more International Environmental treaties period. There is no reason we cannot regulate ourselves and businesses that wish to operate within our borders (within reason), however the nations we are competing against don't care about the treaties (such as China and India) and are producing far more Carbon than we are.
4. Create tax incentives for environment friendly vehicles.
* Increase the tax break for people willing to purchase hybrids particularly American Hybrid Vehicles. Perhaps scaled so that there is a break to purchase a hybrid and a greater tax break if you purchase an American make.
* Give a tax break to auto makers who are producing more environmentally friendly vehicles.
5. Provide Tax incentives to Oil Companies (yes oil companies) that produce more
refineries.
* The last Oil Refinery I could find was built in the 1970's here is one link to reporting on this (Biased link I know) http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/news/ntn12966.htm
* Initially lower some of the environmental regulations for the production of such new plants in an effort to make them a more attractive an investment for Oil companies to produce.
* Work with States to get rid of the Ethanol mandates in fuel. While it appears to be more Environmentally friendly on the surface it produces the same if not more Carbon Emit ions in the process of making it. And the hidden cost produced by Government mandated corn purchases is driving up the cost of Corn, as well as all animal products that rely on corn for feeding.
* Double the funding on renewable fuel research in the form of grant money, offer tax incentives for projects on: Hydrogen Cell research, Compressed Air Engines (if I remember correctly France has a few Compressed Air Vehicles, I remember this from some environmental research place I visited a while back)
6. Most important in my book and not because of my job, my line of work was
chosen because I honestly believe this is the most important role. Reinforce
the role of National Defense.
* On September 11, 2001 we were attracted by a vicious and evil foe. His name was not Ossoma Bin Laden (though he was the leader of the cause) but instead Islamic Jiadism. While many of us wish for us to get out of Iraq, the truth is Iraq is tied to the War on Terror, not directly to Bin Laden but to Islamic Jiadism most definitely.
* World War II ended in 1945 yet we still have a military presence in Germany, Italy, and Japan. We stayed in part for purposes of rebuilding commitment as well as a more strategic front in the looming threat of the Soviet Union.
* Today we cannot just pull out of Iraq for the same reasons above. We owe it to ourselves and to Iraq to stay and help rebuild. Rebuilding provides the stability that Iraq needs to be a becon of hope modeled with freedom in mind but in the form best suited for their people.
* We owe it to ourselves to stay because a stable Iraq is a less likely breeding ground for terror.
* We should stay because staying reinforces our international credibility. Yes this is important, loss of international credibility is part of the reason Bin Laden thought we were in a weak enough position to be attacked in the first place.
* We should stay for the Strategic point of the looming threats of Iran, and China. Iraq is a good launching point for both campaigns, particularly since our European bases are not required (nor our presence requested with a more stable Russia) and real estate we are leasing at increased costs anyway.
While I am concerned about life, and think that it is an important issue it is not my voting issue. I just feel that it needs to be articulated . As for Gay Marriage, I hardly believe that a homosexual couple that desires to enter into a life long commitment should be denied the legal rights of marriage, I do however believe that Marriage is an institution designed by God for Men and Women (in other words give it everything but the name and I will be happy)[/quote]
posted by Grathganor at 12:49 AM
0 comments
links to this post
