Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
...in just a couple of paragraphs.
In the Wall Street Journal, Arthur Brooks:
The president's proposed new budget has three noteworthy characteristics: continuing unfunded entitlements to the middle class, runaway deficits to be repaid in the undefined future, and immense tax increases on the entrepreneurial class. Many commentators have complained about the damage this budget would do to our national prosperity. Less has been said about the effect it will have on something far more important: our national character....
Look at Greece. It is easy to get lost in the weeds of sovereign-debt ratings and monetary inflexibility, but the fundamental source of that country's problems is straightforward. Politicians were unwilling for more than a decade to ask citizens for any meaningful sacrifice in public spending, which outstripped revenues. Citizens came to feel entitled to public resources their country had not earned and could not afford. As the country faced collapse, the result has been hopelessness, helplessness and Molotov cocktails.
Is this where we want to go?
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Comments:
Mar '11
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
Apparently the church in Thessalonica had a problem with members who were convinced that Jesus was going to return any minute. They were so convinced of this that many of them stopped working and became an undue burden on those who remained industrious. The Apostle Paul responded by saying, "If a man will not work, neither let him eat."
--2 Thessalonians 3:10
We could use that attitude in the people we elect.
Nov '11
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
The national character, not just prosperity.
Moral issues have economic consequences; fiscal choices are often moral choices. We sometimes go too far in differentiating between "economic" and "social" issues.
Jan '12
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
That's why we need to Win the electionIt will take more than electronic communication to put our message out thereAll of us need to talk to people face to face
Jun '10
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
I think this about the 50th time of said this on Ricochet: Obama is the most unserious president in the last 100 years, and perhaps ever. His budgets are the equivalent of whistling past the graveyard, while hoping the bad things will go away--they won't.
Edited on February 25, 2012 at 12:30amAug '11
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
I think it's where the President wants to go. I am nearly convinced that he would relish Greek-style riots in America, rushing us toward monetary collapse and a glorious Cloward-Piven future.
Nov '11
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
Geithner said it all: no solution to the long-term problem. They know it's there. They know what they propose is worthless.
But it doesn't hit before the election. So they'll attack the Republican plan.
Feb '12
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
Barack Obama is turtle-atop-the-fencepost frontman for an Alinskyite-Cloward-&-Piven- progressive-implode-capitalism-and-America oligarchy. He is neither unserious nor is the oligarchy. He is neither stupid nor is the oligarchy. Mentally-ill? Yes. Diabolical? Yes.
Edited on February 25, 2012 at 12:26amJun '10
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
drpete
Barack Obama is turtle-atop-the-fencepost frontman for an Alinskyite-Cloward-&-Piven- progressive-implode-capitalism-and-America oligarchy. He is neither unserious nor is the oligarchy. He is neither stupid nor is the oligarchy. Mentally-ill? Yes. Diabolical? Yes. · 6 minutes ago
Edited 5 minutes ago
When I say "unserious," I mean that he's unserious about confronting the real problems that face us: most notably entitlement reform. You are absolutely right that he's dead serious about maintaining and extending power, and making sure his cronies all get some goodies.
Edited on February 25, 2012 at 12:34amAug '10
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
The only reason we aren't there already is faith in the American dream. The numbers don't lie, per capita our debt already exceeds Greece. The actual debt already exceeds GDP ($15.4T to $14.5T). Throw in the unfunded liabilities ($62T)and the liability to GDP ratio is 4 to 1.
Apr '11
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
Well, sure, but other than that...
Feb '12
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
Nov '11
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
drpete
tabula rasa
drpete
Barack Obama is turtle-atop-the-fencepost frontman for an Alinskyite-Cloward-&-Piven- progressive-implode-capitalism-and-America oligarchy. He is neither unserious nor is the oligarchy. He is neither stupid nor is the oligarchy. Mentally-ill? Yes. Diabolical? Yes. · 6 minutes ago
Edited 5 minutes ago
When I say "unserious," I mean that he's unserious about confronting the real problems that face us: most notably entitlement reform. You are absolutely right that he's dead serious about maintaining and extending power, and making sure his cronies all get some goodies. · 4 hours ago
Edited 4 hours ago
Barack Obama is "unserious" about entitlement reform in the same way that termites are "unserious" about your house's structural integrity. · 18 minutes ago
Edited 17 minutes ago
Except that termites did not swear an oath to "preserve, protect, and defend" your house.
Edited on February 25, 2012 at 5:24amOct '10
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
We'll see. It could be that Americans are not Greeks and cannot be turned into them. Greece was already an economic joke before it hitched a ride on the EU gravy train. The ambitious Greeks immigrated here.
I know, I know--the old gray state just ain't what she used to be. Still, in 1993, America was gearing up to build the internet while Greece was showing tourists through olive groves.
Feb '12
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
This is why I found myself in the frightening position of agreeing with Thomas Friedman on Sunday. This country needs David Walker to run as an independent candidate (think Perot, but sane), to force Obama and (presumably) Romney to at least address the national debt and take it seriously.
Mar '11
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
As usual, Rep. Ryan gets it right.
Oct '10
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
Romney or whoever the nominee is should go after Obama's irresponsible budget. GOP should to the same to senate democrats for not passing a budget for more than 1,000 days.
Sep '10
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
To answer the last question, they don't mind going the way of Greece.
I have commented on this before, but the Democrats have adopted the California Democratic Strategy of giving up on fiscally responsible governance. They are the party of yes and the Republicans are the party of no. Doesn't it feel good to say yes?
And this is working just fine for them in CA (so far). Mr. Davis' recall was merely a bump in the road and they will not stop until the electorate stops them. They were able to dismantle the last Republican governor and see no problem doing the same to the next one if need be.
Similarly in WI the Dem's are specifically campaigning that more government spending more deficit spending is not a problem and the Republicans are just stingy and bitter. I think they will fail on ousting Walker but Walker's fiscal reforms are far from irreversible.
It is a scary time, even more so because much of America would rather just not raise fuss and continue going down the road we are on.
May '10
Re: Everything You Need to Know About the Obama Budget
The fact that this budget (and last year's) has not been met with overwhelming cries of outrage, indicates to me that, at a minimum, we have achieved a state of irrational complacency. It looks probable that this complacency will take us over the edge. Our fall however will be much worse than Greece, as there will be no one to help cushion us.
I personally figure we have until somewhere in 2015 until we hit the wall. It can be avoided but I see not a glimmer of indication that it will be. If it happens, many, many millions will be wiped out financially, with no safety net. They will look for someone to blame & perhaps the Govt. with money borrowed at a zillion percent interest, should buy them mirrors.
Those who are not preparing themselves for what may well be coming are taking irrational complacency to a suicidal level - and unfortunately, that probably accurately describes the 99%.
I would add that the fact that the Doomsday Bill just passed by the Wyoming House is not on Drudge's (and every other) front page, is yet another clear indication.