Originally Posted By Darkbeer <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=" target="_blank">http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPol itics.asp?Page=</a>\Politics\archive\200510\POL20051020b.html >>House Republicans leaders have postponed a vote, originally scheduled for Thursday, on a budget-cutting amendment that House Democrats strongly oppose. The measure -- which would cut federal benefit programs by $50 billion over five years -- will be taken up next week instead, after Republicans round up more support for it. (The 2006 budget resolution, which Congress adopted in April, calls for $35 billion in spending cuts over five years, but the measure the House was to have voted on Thursday increased those spending cuts to $50 billion.) Some conservatives, concerned about the deficit and the cost of hurricane recovery, want to spread the spending cuts over all federal agencies, not just programs such as food stamps and Medicaid. Over the next week, Republican leaders plan to expand the list of programs to be cut, to garner more Republican support for the measure. They won't get much help from Democrats.<<
Originally Posted By Darkbeer <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=" target="_blank">http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPol itics.asp?Page=</a>\Politics\archive\200510\POL20051020a.html >>With the U.S. House Republican leadership now pushing $50 billion in budget savings over the next five years in programs like Medicare, Medicaid and student loans, Democrats charged Wednesday that the GOP budget plan was "immoral and irresponsible." Republicans on Capitol Hill and President Bush are likely to take a verbal pounding on Thursday as well from the leaders of several conservative groups upset over the massive deficit spending that has occurred under the GOP-controlled federal government. The American Conservative Union, the Heritage Foundation, Family Research Council and the Club for Growth will hold a news conference to "challenge Congress and the Bush administration to rein in federal government spending." The sub-headline on an advance press release issued by the groups declared "Recent Republican Spending Cut Proposals Not Enough." House Majority Leader Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) did state on Wednesday that Republicans were hoping to increase their budget saving plan from $35 billion to $50 billion. And it immediately drew fire from the Democrats.<<
Originally Posted By TomSawyer The plan to balance the budget by cutting services and health care for the poor is immoral and reprehensible.
Originally Posted By StillThePassHolder "The plan to balance the budget by cutting services and health care for the poor is immoral and reprehensible." Yeah, but it's a lot more fun to just title a thread "Democrats opposing budget cuts" without detailing what they are. That way you don't have to worry about those pesky details.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Some conservatives, concerned about the deficit and the cost of hurricane recovery, want to spread the spending cuts over all federal agencies, not just programs such as food stamps and Medicaid.<< Not JUST food stamps and Medicaid, but by golly, they will be cut.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer We're facing unprecedented expenses to cover the war in Iraq and a major recovery effort across a large part of the country. More and more people are falling under the poverty line every year. But God forbid we ask people who are inheriting estates to pay taxes on any windfall over $1 million. And God forbid we tax income from capital gains when we can tax income that is earned by people who earn the money through hard work. This is the kind of policy making that points out the lie to the statement that this is a Christian country. Christians are not told to screw the poor and throw them to the lions, but that's exactly what the GOP is trying to do.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer Is Double Taxation fair??? That is what you are talking about here.... The Corporation who earned the money for the shareholder has already paid tax on that income, then the individual has to also pay taxes on the same income... <a href="http://www.investorwords.com/1558/double_taxation.html" target="_blank">http://www.investorwords.com/1 558/double_taxation.html</a> >>Taxation of the same earnings at two levels. One common example is taxation of earnings at the corporate level and then again at the shareholder dividend level. Another example is taxation of foreign investments in the country of origin and then again upon repatriation, although many countries have signed agreements to prevent this latter type of double taxation.<< Death taxes is another form of it... The person who passed on, when living, paid taxes on what will be distributed to his/her heirs, why should the money be taxed again????? And I am glad that the Republicans are waiting a week to better describe what they actually want to cut (an additional $3 Billion a year), there has to be at least that much in overspending in the budget... But the Democrats NEVER want to cut the budget, even if it just a lowering of a planned increase (which really isn't a cut). All they want to do is collect more, and spend more. >>House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) said it's not surprising that Democratic leaders would oppose a "spending restraint" amendment. "They have one strategy: to tax and spend with reckless disregard for the budget, the economy or American jobs," Hastert said. He noted that the Gulf Coast must be rebuilt after one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. "The citizens of the Gulf Coast deserve that. But this Congress must also be mindful of taxpayer dollars and the federal budget," Hastert said. "I'm disappointed that at a time when America needs to pull together and do the right thing for the sake of future generations, Leader Pelosi is throwing around reckless comments that simply are irresponsible." Hastert said future generations will bear the burden unless the Democratic leadership agrees to "stop the spending spree" right now.<<
Originally Posted By TomSawyer The GOP is even more immoral and reprehensible than I thought. They are refusing to remove $70 billion in new tax cuts that mostly benefit the wealthy at the same time that they are trying to take food out of people's mouths and put the country even deeper into debt. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/19/AR2005101902014.html" target="_blank">http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/19/AR2005101902014.html</a> (excerpt) >>CONGRESS VOTED earlier this year to trim $35 billion in entitlement spending over the next five years. House Republican leaders want to bump up that number to $50 billion -- supposedly to deal with the costs of Hurricane Katrina. But don't be bamboozled by the self-satisfied claims of fiscal discipline you'll hear from those pressing these cuts: Their post-Katrina budget plan would add to the deficit, not reduce it. That's because the required spending cuts don't come close to paying for the at least $70 billion in new tax cuts provided for in the budget -- cuts that mostly benefit the wealthiest Americans and that apparently remain sacrosanct, no matter what expenses pile up. Meantime, the spending cuts, if approved, would probably come primarily from programs for the poor -- such as Medicaid, food stamps, child-care support, the earned-income tax credit and Supplemental Security Income.<< These goats are despicable.
Originally Posted By basas <<But the Democrats NEVER want to cut the budget, even if it just a lowering of a planned increase (which really isn't a cut). All they want to do is collect more, and spend more>> Exactly. If they don't cut the budget, they can complain about over-spending and the Republicans not allowing for tax-increases. It’s ridiculous logic and that kind of thinking that keeps them out off power (thankfully…).
Originally Posted By TomSawyer Double taxation is a myth and an obfuscation. You only pay taxes on your income one time, regardless of it's source.
Originally Posted By cmpaley So many Republicans who claim to be Christian don't listen to Jesus' own words, "Render unto Caesar..." They are more interested in MINE, MINE, MINE!
Originally Posted By TomSawyer They especially don't listen to Jesus when it comes to the poor, the sick, the homeless and the imprisoned.
Originally Posted By cmpaley Well, there is one thing He says that they believe in...too bad they don't understand the theological context: "to he who has, more will be given, to he who has not, even what he hwas will be taken away." (Which is to say, whoever has salvation, what he has will be multiplied in heaven, whoever doesn't have salvation, even his own life will be taken away in hell)
Originally Posted By wahooskipper cmpaley...I don't know what tax bracket you are in but I render plenty. I believe I work the first 3 months of the year for my fellow Americans. That is plenty and if you want to call me selfish for that then so be it. The Federal Budget could be trimmed in multitudes of places. Until it can be proven that the government, both sides of the aisle, can be fiscally responsible with my money then, frankly, they don't get any more of it.
Originally Posted By cmpaley ^^^ MINE! MINE! MINE! Seriously, I agree that there isn't enough fiscal responsibility. Too bad the Republicans are the ones who have brought us to this by ignoring the concept of "pay as you go," cutting taxes at the same time spending is increase. The "wah on terrah" and the "stock market bubble bursting" don't explain going from a massive surplus to a massive deficit in a matter of two years.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper cmpaley...do you think that we should work more than 1/4 of the year for someone other than ourselves? I'm ready for a flat tax. Everybody pays the same percentage. I've always thought that was the more fair and objective way of doing it. If you feel charitable enough to give more (which I do through tithing, etc) then more power to you.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer >>I don't know what tax bracket you are in but I render plenty.<< You get plenty back, too.
Originally Posted By basas <<They especially don't listen to Jesus when it comes to the poor, the sick, the homeless and the imprisoned. >> Yet studies have shown the average Republican from the South gives much more in per-capita income to charity organizations than your typical Democrat from NY, or California.
