Thread: This is shocking

Something is certainly fouled up! I know I sure wouldn't be able to keep a AAA credit rating with this kind of economics.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

What I got from that video is that the US Gov. needs to increase everyone's taxes by a quarter of a penny. Problem solved!

No, seriously, the world economy looks grim. Spain, Portugal, Greece - all downgraded credit ratings. And despite what Moody's say, I believe the UK should be set to follow if the credit ratings agency has any balls at all. And at some stage after that, the US too, unless they can do something serious to reduce their debt.

I predict rocky times ahead.

James.

Agreed. If the current situation which appears to be on a one way path isn't fuel for those arguing for a one world currency, I can't imagine what is. Fate? Yeah right.

Chris L

Thanks for the video. Scary.

Originally Posted by gugi

Seems to me the actual problem stems from having too many people who need visuals to understand the meaning of simple numbers.

mhailey, now that you're shocked, have you got any plans for your personal contribution to decreasing that part to the right of the blue line?

Or may be you have an updated video that's not one year old. I seem to remember there was some voting for death panels. If that's not gonna cut the big pile on the left of the white line I don't know what else will.

No, the problem is that me, my children, and my grandchildren, are going to have to deal with these "simple numbers" for the remainder of time. There is no governmental will to take the hard yet necessary actions, ie. cutting social security/medicare, and raise taxes with the sole purpose of paying off the debt (and having this tax sunset once the debt is paid). My plan is to vote against any incumbent that as been for big government and wasteful spending (that is all of the incumbents for which I can vote).

The only problem with the video being a year old is that it does not accurately portray the amount of debt to the right of the blue line, as our government has as continued to spend like a drunken sailor.

True, this picture is a piechart from the 2009 budget. If it is even remotely accurate, it seems very simple.




Get out of overseas conflicts for starters. The Russians got smart and left Afghanistan, there's no way I see the US "winning" this conflict. Iraq is also becoming a big hot melting pot of conflicting interests of the warlords/tribes/religious zealot islam variant groups.

How many USD did Iraq cost, per day?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-army or anything. People that give their lives for their country deserve the utmost respect. That country should then not waste those lives in useless conflicts, in my very humble opinion.


edit: Just saw the most recent budget breakdown:

Originally Posted by mhailey

No, the problem is that me, my children, and my grandchildren, are going to have to deal with these "simple numbers" for the remainder of time. There is no governmental will to take the hard yet necessary actions, ie. cutting social security/medicare, and raise taxes with the sole purpose of paying off the debt (and having this tax sunset once the debt is paid). My plan is to vote against any incumbent that as been for big government and wasteful spending (that is all of the incumbents for which I can vote).

I don't see a non-government will either. I was hoping that after understanding the numbers you would be willing to take a 10% paycut over 5 years to cover your portion of the currently accumulated debt. Along with every other american, but as you pointed out you're responsible for your own part.

Plain and simple your pie chart showing Military at 58% of the total budget is not only inaccurate but if presented as the truth borders on slander. It may well be the percentage of our disposable income because the politicians have given in to any good sounding social program that brought money into their districts. The actual budget by the Federal Budget Office says it comes in at 23% even with any of the conflicts. The standing army has not increased since, say Carter. In fact it has dropped by 15%.

Let us take California by the way. We owe over $30 Billion....with at B and have no army or anything other than socialist that have run the government into the ground after 3 decades of out of control spending. Implementing feel good regulations that shackle free men. Example; the cell phone law. New research say it did nothing to improve accident rates yet now the police are pulling people over for using their GPS units and claiming that it the same as texting so they can give out tickets to boost the general fund.....that is empty from run away spending.

Later,
Richard

Originally Posted by riooso

Plain and simple your pie chart showing Military at 58% of the total budget is not only inaccurate but if presented as the truth borders on slander.

It's actually accurate, but you have to pay attention. The pie chart corresponds to only the part to the right of the white line in the video (that's what 'discretionary' everywhere in the labels means).
The biggest inaccuracy is actually at 0:51 of the video and it was enough for me to discount the author as either incompetent or intentional liar. Plus one of the reasons I'm in this country is that I can add without resorting to my fingers.

Well, you should have been so concerned when you elected GWB. It's his debt.

Originally Posted by icedog

Well, you should have been so concerned when you elected GWB. It's his debt.

....wow.