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Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’ [W:139]

Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

jpn said:
I agree with you there. But your distinction between debt and deficits is a little strained, IMHO. Deficits exacerbate the debt, surpluses ameliorate it. They aren't exactly apples and oranges. So my point was that in our lifetimes we've seen examples of slashing taxes on the rich, and raising taxes on the rich (the rich, after all, pay a large portion of the taxes). Politicians who did the former presided over exploding deficits (thus increasing the debt) while politicians who presided over the latter saw shrinking deficits and even surpluses.

So in November 2016 I just hope you remember this history, and keep in mind who is promising massive tax cuts (Republicans) and who isn't.
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Who decided that the wealthy should have tax cuts at this point, and what is the amount that determines "wealthy? It seems that our politicians are being a bit self-serving, since many are among the wealthy they want to "help." While I agree that the wealthy are already paying the lion's share of taxes, probably because they have more money than anyone else to pay taxes on - who's going to make up the difference? The working people who are already struggling from paycheck to paycheck, making less than $35,000 a year in seven out of 10 jobs in this country, or those who don't have jobs at all and need assistance to even buy food, let alone pay taxes? Our debt of $18.4 trillion dollars is already over 104 percent of GDP, and when the Fed raises the interest rate, which they will, our interest payments will take up more and more of the taxes collected. Why is it so difficult to cut government spending - we all know there's waste that can be eliminated! Talk about that first, not as an after-thought! We need to cut spending!
 
Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

jpn said:
What a great reason to ignore it!

...except that you chose not to ignore it.

...you chose to answer it with a non-answer.
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What part of "the question wasn't directed at you" is still confusing you?

:coffeepap:
 
Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

Ockham said:
What part of "the question wasn't directed at you" is still confusing you?

:coffeepap:
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Which part of "public debate forum" is confusing you?
 
Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

Ockham said:
What part of "the question wasn't directed at you" is still confusing you?
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Oh I get it. You're just a spammer. Never mind.
 
Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

polgara said:
Why is it so difficult to cut government spending - we all know there's waste that can be eliminated! Talk about that first, not as an after-thought! We need to cut spending!
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This is really off topic. But a couple thoughts: It's easy to say, "cut spending." The difficult part begins when you try to choose what programs to cut. Republicans automatically set their sights on programs for poor people. I rarely see Republicans target obvious areas of waste, like weapons programs the military says they don't want or need, subsidies to already profitable corporations, and so on. Most of our discretionary spending (about half) goes to defense. But Republicans want to actually increase military spending! (I'm a retired Navy Commander, so I'm not anti-military. But when we're already larger than the next 9 militaries in the world, 7 of whom are our allies, there is a limit).

I guess you haven't noticed, but government spending has recently been strangled. Federal discretionary spending has fallen far below its historical average.

General government spending is not growing anywhere near what it has in the past, and that explains in part why our recovery has been relatively slow.
Here's a graph of total government spending (local, state, and federal) from the Wall Street Journal:
blog_govt_spending_recession.jpg

Government spending is more than 25% lower than normal after a recession, and that in large part explains why the recovery has been sluggish, wage growth is slow, and long-term unemployment remains high.

Cutting spending hinders economic growth. It's something to do when the economy is booming, not when it's still lagging.
 
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Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

jpn said:
This is really off topic. But a couple thoughts: It's easy to say, "cut spending." The difficult part begins when you try to choose what programs to cut. Republicans automatically set their sights on programs for poor people. I rarely see Republicans target obvious areas of waste, like weapons programs the military says they don't want or need, subsidies to already profitable corporations, and so on. Most of our discretionary spending (about half) goes to defense. But Republicans want to actually increase military spending! (I'm a retired Navy Commander, so I'm not anti-military, I'm just anti-waste).

But general government spending is not growing anywhere near what it has in the past, and that explains in part why our recovery has been relatively slow.
Here's a graph of total government spending (local, state, and federal) from the Wall Street Journal:
blog_govt_spending_recession.jpg

Government spending is more than 25% lower than normal after a recession, and that in large part explains why the recovery has been sluggish, wage growth is slow, and long-term unemployment remains high.

Cutting spending hinders economic growth. It's something to do when the economy is booming, not when it's still lagging.
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Greetings, jpn. :2wave:

In the business world, it was handled by Department Managers, who were told they needed to reduce their budgets by X percentage, and it applied equally to everyone across the board! It was fair, since everyone was treated the same, so no one could argue otherwise, and who better to make the decision where to cut than those who ran their part of the company? Too bad government can't or won't follow that example, because national defense is just as important as social programs, IMO, and no one really likes to cut spending in their area, but sometimes it's necessary for the overall good!
 
Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

jpn said:
This is really off topic. But a couple thoughts: It's easy to say, "cut spending." The difficult part begins when you try to choose what programs to cut. Republicans automatically set their sights on programs for poor people. I rarely see Republicans target obvious areas of waste, like weapons programs the military says they don't want or need, subsidies to already profitable corporations, and so on. Most of our discretionary spending (about half) goes to defense. But Republicans want to actually increase military spending! (I'm a retired Navy Commander, so I'm not anti-military. But when we're already larger than the next 9 militaries in the world, 7 of whom are our allies, there is a limit).

I guess you haven't noticed, but government spending has recently been strangled. Federal discretionary spending has fallen far below its historical average.

General government spending is not growing anywhere near what it has in the past, and that explains in part why our recovery has been relatively slow.
Here's a graph of total government spending (local, state, and federal) from the Wall Street Journal:
blog_govt_spending_recession.jpg

Government spending is more than 25% lower than normal after a recession, and that in large part explains why the recovery has been sluggish, wage growth is slow, and long-term unemployment remains high.

Cutting spending hinders economic growth. It's something to do when the economy is booming, not when it's still lagging.
Click to expand...

Much of that reflects the drawdown in active military operations. That is also why DoD needs investment. After so many years of fighting, there is a great need for replacement and reinvestment.
 
Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

polgara said:
Greetings, jpn. :2wave:

In the business world, it was handled by Department Managers, who were told they needed to reduce their budgets by X percentage, and it applied equally to everyone across the board! It was fair, since everyone was treated the same, so no one could argue otherwise, and who better to make the decision where to cut than those who ran their part of the company? Too bad government can't or won't follow that example, because national defense is just as important as social programs, IMO, and no one really likes to cut spending in their area, but sometimes it's necessary for the overall good!
Click to expand...

I have decades of experience in the private sector as a Dept Mgr and I've never experienced nor heard of any business making across the board cuts like that. No CEO with an ounce of brains cuts the depts that are making the most money equally with those that are making the least
 
Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

Jack Hays said:
Much of that reflects the drawdown in active military operations. That is also why DoD needs investment. After so many years of fighting, there is a great need for replacement and reinvestment.
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cough!!

srfedspendingnumbers2012p61chart6.ashx
 
Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

sangha said:
Yes, "essentially flat" = "drawdown" :screwy
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Apples & oranges. Drawdown in "active military operations" (#183) = "essentially flat" (#186) budget. QED.
 
Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

sangha said:
I have decades of experience in the private sector as a Dept Mgr and I've never experienced nor heard of any business making across the board cuts like that. No CEO with an ounce of brains cuts the depts that are making the most money equally with those that are making the least
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Greetings, Sangha. :2wave:

Nevertheless, that's the way it was handled by the Fortune 500 International corporation I worked for. The departments that were making money continued to make money, even with the cuts, and the others got new managers if they continued to lose money. Some of those divisions were sold to other companies whose sole business was concentrated in that area, and the company I worked exited that niche entirely. Unlike government, businesses have to make a profit or they don't last long. A lot depends on the CEOs and their vision, and some were indeed replaced. In one instance, our company's stock jumped 6 points when the new CEO was chosen by the Board of Directors, and he went on to double the stock price and later did a stock split, which doubled the shares we workers owned in our company 401K plan. Much rejoicing and toasts to his continued good health were commonplace, believe me! And he did it in a matter of a few years, too! Perhaps if we had fewer attorneys, who just seem to want to argue with each other while nothing else gets done, and more businesspeople running government, things wouldn't be like they are today. Where is Warren Buffet, Bill Gates. or Jack Welch, former CEO of GE - which value rose 4,000% during his leadership - when we need them! :mrgreen:














































when we need them, IMO.
 
Re: Forensic Analysis: Planned Parenthood Videos Are ‘Authentic’

Ockham said:
That's not consistent with being pro-choice. How do you explain it?
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Unlike conservatives, I understand that my personal disapproval isn't reason in of itself to make something illegal for someone else.
 
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