Comments on: America The Unsustainable?

By: Joseppi

Joseppi — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:32:41 +0000

It is called ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT which means you burn all countries currency, print one for all, Unlimited Printing,(no competition amoung countries currencies) UN policies & laws, everyone is happy!

By: notice stupidity

notice stupidity — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:27:43 +0000

Bush and repubs got fiscally responsible so you vote in a leftist who everyone new would at the very least increase entitlements. You are and idiot.

By: John M

John M — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:24:01 +0000

OK lets do that. Stop all overseas activity, keep only enough to protect our shores, thats about 500B saved. Now, where do we get the other trillion? You realize that what we are talking about? Right? 1.5 Trillion dollars in debt per year, the feds only get 2.1T in revenue and next year they want to spend 3.4T, and it goes up from there.

By: Ian Dayl

Ian Dayl — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:06:20 +0000

Yea, lets cut military spending. I have a better alternative, those who despise the military should move to France. There, problem solved! And once you arrive, you can thank the military for affording you the freedom to do so. Bon voyage! And don’t bother writing once you arrive.

By: Nacho

Nacho — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:10:01 +0000

But defense is not an entitlement program. Meaning, we can more rapidly change the amount of money we put into defense depending on the situation (war time, recession, build up in threat of war, post war), while we can not easily change spending in Social Security or Medicare. Also, the armed forces are absolutely essential to protect this country and our freedoms, socialist programs such as Social Security and Medicare are not. The private sector can easily handle retirement (and it does it much better actually) and health care (again it does it better). The private sector cannot run a military.

All governments have two basic jobs:
1. Keep its citizans safe (military, police, fire services, etc.)
2. Uphold contract law (including the Constitution)
3. Provide basic infrastructure for business to take place (highways, roads, waste management, water)

Entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare do not fall in any of these groups. So comparing Social Security or Medicare one of the basic functions of government is not comparing apples to apples. Should we compare the cost of education (which can fall into the basic infrastructure for business group) in this country to Medicare? What about spending on Police/Fire/Hospitals to Social Security?

By: Sean Mitchell

Sean Mitchell — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:04:19 +0000

If you really believe that spending needs to be cut start with the biggest and least democratic (in terms of spreading the money around) and the most vulnerable to fraud (as we’ve seen with all the servicing scams in Iraq) – the military.

By: David Doney

David Doney — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:20:41 +0000

The Big 3 are DEFENSE, Social Security and Medicare. We cannot spend a $1 trillion on defense indefinitely either. We can save about $500 billion there. Conservatives somehow always forget that.

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:53:45 +0000

I think many in the government know exactly what they are doing. With inflation and unemployment that will make the late 1970s pale by comparison, a perfect crisis will ensue. It’s obvious to anyone that the current government approach to the problem will lead to even greater stagflation and crisis. Many that share the philosophy of the National Socialist American Workers Party need such a crisis to begin the fascist regime they’ve only been able to dream of. All of the world’s great republics have ended either through weakness and external invasion or through internal strife and despotic takeover. The larger republics tend to end in “suicide” rather than “homicide”. As America follows the pattern of history, she will leave the current soft fascism behind and adopt the harder fascism that looks to be America’s destiny. Deepened financial crisis and fiscal irresponsibility would provide a just the backdrop needed for such a change.

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:33:14 +0000

Please stop referring to the “Obama $400 tax cut.” It is only a tax WITHOLDING cut, you’ll have to pay back that $400 at the end of the year as the tax tables were not changed. Most people will only notice through a smaller tax REFUND next year when they file, others will notice a larger tax PAYMENT due when they file. But please stop calling it a tax cut!

By: earle

earle — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:27:32 +0000

You know Brian,that the “Big-2+”,Medicare(Medicaid/Welfare?),and Social Security were always well funded,with ample funding into the next(2100+)century! But,as your probably aware of,the Congress,led by both administrations throughout the past 30+ years have used it’s(fully paid-in entitlement,and funded social programs)fund’s as a off-balance piggy-bank,and stuffing it with worthless IOU’s! Of course,all was fine ,and no new taxes,when they pilferred the “sacred cow” to artifically sustain their dead-end “Budget’s”! Where was the CBO? Finally,what scares me most Brian,is the fact that their going to do the same to the “New Health(#3-Biggy)Care Program”,when they see the coffers overflowing with,(”No More Taxes”) extra money to squander once again,with absolutely no accountability! Thanks Brian,once again great piece(: