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HH, I'm no big fan of big government programs. I like the idea of states taking a bigger role or even all of things like affordable health care and education (basically lessen the federal government's involvement). Every state is different. They each have unique needs. Florida could fashion its state wide program that's heavily focused on the elderly. Hawaii, I believe is the 'youngest' state or it was years ago and so they can focus on pediatrics.

The states are incapable. Not the federal government's fault but they are worst spendrifts than the federal government.

There is money for major projects. You could amply fund so many things by halving the defense budget and that thing is very, very bloated. Corporate welfare is three times as big as social welfare when you add in subsidies, tax abatements, etc. That's a few hundred billion easily. Earmarks, pork barrel stuff are at least in the tens of billions if not hundreds.

The rich do not pay the tax rate that is for their tax bracket. The rich have enough loopholes to pay a lower rate than middle income families. I'm not saying I'm in favor of a high tax rate. I just want it fairer. I have no problem lowering the top tax rates for individuals and corporations as the Republicans suggests but ONLY if they take away the loopholes. They won't.

Anyway, as I said, I am not advocating big government programs but the money is there to fund them. We're just wasting it/spending it elsewhere. Another source of an extra few hundred billion a year is a national lottery. Weekly pots would be in the billions (Ben Franklin originally proposed one) and it only taxes the williing.

 

My main problem with the Republicans is they are as much as hypocrites as anyone. I know you're not a huge social conservative guy but many of your fellow Republicans are. They don't want the government to force people to buy something but they want the government to force people to accept or deny people social conservatism things that are rooted in religion: marriage. abortion. prayer. drugs/pot. etc.

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http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-marine-critical-obama-faces-charge-012104515.html

 

The Marine Corps on Wednesday notified a sergeant who has been openly critical of President Barack Obama that he is violating Pentagon policy barring troops from political activities and that he faces dismissal.

 

Camp Pendleton Marine Sgt. Gary Stein started a Facebook page called Armed Forces Tea Party to encourage fellow service members to exercise their free speech rights. He declared a few weeks ago that he would not follow the unlawful orders of the commander in chief. Stein also criticized Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for his comments on Syria.

 

Stein, a nine-year member of the Corps, said he did nothing wrong and planned to fight the charges. He had applied to extend his service, which was set to expire in a few months.

 

"I'm completely shocked that this is happening," he said. "I've done nothing wrong. I've only stated what our oath states that I will defend the constitution and that I will not follow unlawful orders. If that's a crime, what is America coming to?"

 

The Marine Corps said in a statement Wednesday that Stein's commanding officer ordered a preliminary inquiry on March 8 after receiving allegations that Stein posted political statements about Obama on Facebook in violation of the Pentagon's directives.

 

"After reviewing the findings of the preliminary inquiry, the commander decided to address the allegations through administrative action," the Corps said.

 

Stein said in addition to being discharged, he would have his rank reduced to lance corporal if he is proven to be in violation of the rules. He said he was removed from his job at the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot in San Diego on Wednesday and given a desk job with no access to computers.

 

Normally, I'm a free speech guy. I know the military is a unique institution though. If this type of posting was applied to Bush and others as well, then I'll agree he shouldn't. Traditionally, high level military officers are publicly non political. No one knew officially what party Ike or Colin Powell supported till they did.

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Steve...basically, I'm a social moderate and fiscal conservative. That is why I feel compelled to assist bargirls with the obligations they face on the home front without contributing to the demands some of them think they are worth. 555555555555

 

I've read/heard that the U.S. could scrap the entire DOD budget, and the country would still face a large deficit. Also, you could take the combined income of the top 1% and it would fund the federal government for about a week. Clearly, the doubling of the deficit in Obama's looooooooooooooong 3 years he's been in office has done nothing to attack the deficit, although that was one of his campaign promises. If the country has any "hope", a change must be made THIS year !

 

HH

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HH, there is soooo much we can cut out of the government entirely or divert those cuts to other programs.

 

There are a ton of agencies and sub agencies we either don't need at the federal level (and can be done at the state level---Education Dept perhaps) or should be greatly decreased.

 

We should at least start with the waste, make the cuts and then and only than look to revenue increases aka tax increases. Part of the cuts would be loopholes in the tax code for rich people and corporations.

 

I also think there are certain cuts that we should do to encourage domestic spending. For example, encourage people to vacation internally and not travel outside the country to spend your vacation dollars. Work with the states and have a maortaorium on state and federal park fees or at least greatly reduced for families and couples. If they make a reservation, charge them only so much. Cut the visa amounts and red tape for foreigners who wish to vacation in America for example.

 

As for as a budget deficit, its usually not a good thing but in these tough times I would be okay with a moderate deficit depending on the reason. For example, infrastructure. Shovel ready projects as well as tech projects. I would have no problem if a trillion or two is spent on those types of projects because we reap the benefits by putting people to work. Americans going to work, in America and these jobs can't be exported. Same with if the states and the federal government agree to convert all or a significant portion of their fleet of government cars to 100% American company made hybrid cars. Hundreds of thousands of cars needed and a ready market for detroit. Good, union, blue collar jobs and the suppliers as well. It will also get the environmental folks on our side so they co-sign.

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HH, there is soooo much we can cut out of the government entirely or divert those cuts to other programs.

 

There are a ton of agencies and sub agencies we either don't need at the federal level (and can be done at the state level---Education Dept perhaps) or should be greatly decreased.

 

We should at least start with the waste, make the cuts and then and only than look to revenue increases aka tax increases. Part of the cuts would be loopholes in the tax code for rich people and corporations.

 

I also think there are certain cuts that we should do to encourage domestic spending. For example, encourage people to vacation internally and not travel outside the country to spend your vacation dollars. Work with the states and have a maortaorium on state and federal park fees or at least greatly reduced for families and couples. If they make a reservation, charge them only so much. Cut the visa amounts and red tape for foreigners who wish to vacation in America for example.

 

As for as a budget deficit, its usually not a good thing but in these tough times I would be okay with a moderate deficit depending on the reason. For example, infrastructure. Shovel ready projects as well as tech projects. I would have no problem if a trillion or two is spent on those types of projects because we reap the benefits by putting people to work. Americans going to work, in America and these jobs can't be exported. Same with if the states and the federal government agree to convert all or a significant portion of their fleet of government cars to 100% American company made hybrid cars. Hundreds of thousands of cars needed and a ready market for detroit. Good, union, blue collar jobs and the suppliers as well. It will also get the environmental folks on our side so they co-sign.

 

YOu have to remember, those little sub-agencies are often headquartered/located in Congressional districts of influential Congressmen/women. They aren't likely to give those up without a BIG fight. I agree, FWIW, there is way too much duplication among federal agencies, too much "fat", and waste. I've never heard a political candidate NOT say that they will work to get rid of those things. Never happens.

 

I don't even agree that "moderate" deficit spending is a good thing. It would have to be another Pearl Harbor to get me to consider it. I have no problems in requiring the Fed. government only purchasing U.S.-made goods (including automobiles). But even autos are sometimes a grey-market product. There used to be a law that required the feds to purchase only U.S. made goods. Maybe current treaties, etc. would bring the rath of the WTO? Dunno.

 

The idea of trying to get U.S. residents to spend their money on domestic soil is nice. But, reduced/free campsites isn't gonna cut it. In CA, state parks are already closing due to insufficient funds to keep them open. And with soaring gasoline prices, fewer will take domestic trips this year, I am certain. Again, those in LA might go to Magic Mountain or Disneyland for their vacation. On the other hand, if we all just correctly inflated our automobile tires, we could get better milage and reduce our reliance on foreign oil. Right? LOL

 

Shovel ready projects don't seem to exist. At least, according to Barry. Big difference between handouts (unemployment benefits) and what was done during the Depression when jobs were actually provided building infrastructure, post offices, etc. The Gov. got something for its money. Now, all the Gov gets is bitching and moaning if the benefits aren't extended.

 

HH

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Va. middle-schoolers assigned opposition research on GOP candidates

 

A Virginia middle school teacher recently forced his students to support President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign by conducting opposition research in class against the Republican presidential candidates.

 

The 8th grade students, who attend Liberty Middle School in Fairfax County, were required to seek out the vulnerabilities of Republican presidential hopefuls and forward them to the Obama campaign.

 

“This assignment was just creepy beyond belief — like something out of East Germany during the Cold War,†one frustrated father, who asked for his family to remain anonymous, told The Daily Caller.

 

The assignment was for students to research the backgrounds and positions of each of the GOP candidates for president and find “weaknesses†in them, the parent explained. From there, students were to prepare a strategy paper to exploit those weaknesses and then to send their suggestions to the Obama campaign.

 

Liberty teacher Michael Denman, who declined to comment, unveiled the assignment in mid-January when he broke the Civics Honor’s class into four groups, one for each Republican candidate. The students were then to collaborate as a group and research the backgrounds of their assigned candidate.

 

Denman assigned two kids to write a paper revealing the identified “weaknesses,†two to write the attack strategy paper and two others to locate an individual inside the Obama campaign to whom they could send the information.

 

“My classmates don’t actually know a lot, but a few of us tended to agree that the most recent instruction on this project just didn’t seem right,†one of the students told TheDC. “Mr. Denman didn’t tell us where to find the information, just to research on them.â€

 

As a result, the school received multiple phone calls from parents frustrated with the political nature of the assignment, the father told TheDC.

 

“I was shocked that a school teacher would so blatantly politicize the curriculum of a middle school classroom,†the parent said. “I asked [my child] if a similar assignment had been handed out to examine the background and positions of President Obama to see if the teacher was at least being bipartisan.â€

 

No similar assignment was given to research Obama’s history, identify his weaknesses or pass them along to the Republican candidates.

 

John Torre, a spokesman on behalf of the Fairfax County Public School system, insists that students were never instructed to actually send their results to the Obama campaign.

 

“Instead, the teacher simply asked his students to find out the name of the office that would receive such information,†Torre wrote in an email to TheDC.

 

Torre explained that Principal Dr. Catherine Cipperly, who refused to comment, discussed the matter with Denman, citing that students should have been given a choice to research candidates from either major party.

 

“The principal advised the teacher that he should emphasize to his students that this assignment was meant to learn a process and not to endorse a particular candidate,†Torre said. “The teacher agreed with the principal’s direction.â€

 

A district policy, which addresses employee political activities, states “employees shall not involve their schools in political campaigns, distribute political literature on school property or attempt to indoctrinate students with their personal political beliefs.â€

 

Despite the rule, Denman’s intention was to exercise “a simulation activity with the intent of teaching students about the research process that a campaign committee goes through prior to an election,†Torre said.

 

The father, who describes himself as conservative, thought Denman’s behavior went too far and needed to be addressed.

 

“Teachers acting in such manner need to be called out,†he said. “I have no personal animosity toward the teacher in question at all, but let’s be real.

 

In hopes of bringing this to the attention of other public school teachers, this father just wants one thing clear: “Leave politics out of the classroom,†he said. “Present a balanced viewpoint, teaching children to listen to all sides and think for themselves.â€

 

Fairfax County, a suburban area situated across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., is by far Virginia’s most populous county and among the state’s most liberal. In 2008, Barack Obama won 60 percent of Fairfax County’s presidential votes, compared to just 39 percent for Sen. John McCain.

 

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HH, there is soooo much we can cut out of the government entirely or divert those cuts to other programs.

 

There are a ton of agencies and sub agencies we either don't need at the federal level (and can be done at the state level---Education Dept perhaps) or should be greatly decreased.

 

We should at least start with the waste, make the cuts and then and only than look to revenue increases aka tax increases. Part of the cuts would be loopholes in the tax code for rich people and corporations.

 

I also think there are certain cuts that we should do to encourage domestic spending. For example, encourage people to vacation internally and not travel outside the country to spend your vacation dollars. Work with the states and have a maortaorium on state and federal park fees or at least greatly reduced for families and couples. If they make a reservation, charge them only so much. Cut the visa amounts and red tape for foreigners who wish to vacation in America for example.

 

As for as a budget deficit, its usually not a good thing but in these tough times I would be okay with a moderate deficit depending on the reason. For example, infrastructure. Shovel ready projects as well as tech projects. I would have no problem if a trillion or two is spent on those types of projects because we reap the benefits by putting people to work. Americans going to work, in America and these jobs can't be exported. Same with if the states and the federal government agree to convert all or a significant portion of their fleet of government cars to 100% American company made hybrid cars. Hundreds of thousands of cars needed and a ready market for detroit. Good, union, blue collar jobs and the suppliers as well. It will also get the environmental folks on our side so they co-sign.

 

Both parties are guilty in regards to how we got to where we are.

 

If changes were made to Social Security and Medicare early on in regards to Social Security

and Medicare receiving their payments and being able to keeep their 'own' money,

the country would not be under the financial burden it is now.

 

Actually Obama Care/Romney Care would be a moot issue in that enough money would be in Medicare

in that more people could be elgible for Medicare. With changes to Medicare, if the money actually

went to Medicare and stayed with Medicare there probably would only have to be a few changes

to get everybody elgible for Medicare.

 

Remember - it is our own money. The money should not have been spent to fight wars, etc.

For that, both parties are quilty!

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The idea of trying to get U.S. residents to spend their money on domestic soil is nice. But, reduced/free campsites isn't gonna cut it. In CA, state parks are already closing due to insufficient funds to keep them open. And with soaring gasoline prices, fewer will take domestic trips this year, I am certain. Again, those in LA might go to Magic Mountain or Disneyland for their vacation. On the other hand, if we all just correctly inflated our automobile tires, we could get better milage and reduce our reliance on foreign oil. Right? LOL

 

 

Isn't it the case, that 80% of the US citizens don't own a passport?

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Isn't it the case, that 80% of the US citizens don't own a passport?

 

 

I get a laugh out of Republicans who claim inflating their tires to the

right air level and getting their car tuned up will not increase gas mileage

which means using less gas.

 

I guess the next Republican science wonder will be is a person can get the

same gas mileage if not better gas mileage if their air conditioning is running

when it is hot outside as oppose to not running the air condition.

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