Great Society: Part 2?

[JonS99]

I pay state and local taxes for schools, roads and bridges, why would I want to pay federal taxes for this????

 

[chris1gill]

I pay state and local taxes for schools, roads and bridges, why would I want to pay federal taxes for this????

Maybe because your schools, roads and bridges are falling apart. Where does your state fall on the National Bridges list? I bet Minnesota thought they were doing pretty good right up until the time they weren't. What about your electric grid? How's it doing?

 

[Family Fun Mom]

I pay state and local taxes for schools, roads and bridges, why would I want to pay federal taxes for this????

Because it's time to get patriotic. Time to be part of the deal. Right?

 

[TLSnell1981]

Why can't some posters just state their opposing views? Why must they personally attack those who don't agree with them?

 

[JonS99]

Maybe because your schools, roads and bridges are falling apart. Where does your state fall on the National Bridges list? I bet Minnesota thought they were doing pretty good right up until the time they weren't. What about your electric grid? How's it doing?

According to our state constitution (doesn't the United States have one of these too???), educational funding is the primary responibility of the state (Illinois).. We also pay fairly high property taxes for the local schools, so why in the world would I be stupid enough to want Washington to take more of my money to pay for something that I trust the people of my community to oversee?????

Same with roads and bridges, while they do need repair, thats something that the state and local govts should handle... This is why we have state and local govts, perhaps we need to get rid of them????

Seems we have way too many people wanting Washington to get more and more into the butt whiping business

 

[JonS99]

Double

 

[Charade]

I'm really surprised that more people don't see the parallels between now and the original "New Deal". The original "New Deal" wasn't all that great a deal.

 

[chris1gill]

According to our state constitution (doesn't the United States have one of these too???), educational funding is the primary responibility of the state (Illinois).. We also pay fairly high property taxes for the local schools, so why in the world would I be stupid enough to want Washington to take more of my money to pay for something that I trust the people of my community to oversee?????

Same with roads and bridges, while they do need repair, thats something that the state and local govts should handle... This is why we have state and local govts, perhaps we need to get rid of them????

Seems we have way too many people wanting Washington to get more and more into the butt whiping business

Are you familiar at all with the process? Your State and Local governments do not just "come up with" cash for infrastructure, they get partial funding from the Federal Government, and that money has to be approved in appropriations. Just like they get when they build schools or anything else of major infrastructure.

 

[Sanchez]

Are you familiar at all with the process? Your State and Local governments do not just "come up with" cash for infrastructure, they get partial funding from the Federal Government, and that money has to be approved in appropriations. Just like they get when they build schools or anything else of major infrastructure.

And some are saying that, for the most part, this should be the responsibility of state and local governments. I would think that the examples of an efficient federal project are few.

 

[chris1gill]

And some are saying that, for the most part, this should be the responsibility of state and local governments. I would think that the examples of an efficient federal project are few.

That isn't how it currently works, if you do not like it, contact your local legislators, get your fellow constituents together, form an activist group, and get to work on changing the way Washington and local town/state aide work....

 

[adkkev]

It may well be that the federal gov't will give money to each individual state for infrastructure projects ... this is exactly what NY Gov. Patterson requested when he testified before Congress several weeks ago.

and Charade, you are correct when you say that the New Deal wasn't all that great ... and the federal gov't was pretty much shooting from the hip back then, and no one seemed to have any alternatives to what Roosevelt proposed. We can only hope that the new administration learns from those mistakes and acts appropriately.

And there are some Federal works projects that might be very beneficial ... our National Parks are in rough shape and can definitely use some infrastructure improvements ... and when I was in DC last year, I was appalled at the condition of some of the Mall area, with some pools in need of repair, etc.

 

[c4a]

Obama and Biden have both said that stimulus pkgs would have to be put on hold for awhile...that they may not even be possible for "this term". Both have stated several times that there are too many issues on our nation's plate right now, & that as a country we should be prepared to "sacrifice". That we all need to be realistic about our country's situation.

Both started making the comments right after the election. Am looking for the link.

 

[c4a]

Obama and Biden have both said that stimulus pkgs would have to be put on hold for awhile...that they may not even be possible for "this term". Both have stated several times that there are too many issues on our nation's plate right now, & that as a country we should be prepared to "sacrifice". That we all need to be realistic about our country's situation.

Both started making the comments right after the election. Am looking for the link.

Came across this, while looking...
Business Line link

Global News / Markets
Obama planning second stimulus package
WASHINGTON: To shore up the tottering US economy, President-elect Mr Barack Obama and the Democrats are planning a new massive fiscal stimulus package that could run into as much as $700 billion over the next two years, rivalling the bailout sum Congress committed last month.

Hints of a hefty new spending programme began emerging last week. The New Jersey Governor, Mr Jon Corzine, an Obama advisor and Harvard economist Mr Lawrence H Summers, whom the President-elect has chosen to lead his White House economic team, raised th e possibility of $700 billion in new spending.

Obama advisor and former Clinton administration Labour Secretary, Mr Robert Reich and Democrat Senator Mr Charles E Schumer also favoured spending in the range of $500 billion to $700 billion, the Washington Post reported today.

The amount, if approved, will be one of the biggest public spending programmes aimed at boosting the economy since former President Franklin D Roosevelt's 'New Deal', it said.

Transition officials did not confirm to the paper that they are considering spending of that magnitude, but they made clear that economic conditions are dire and suggested that Mr Obama might be forced to delay his pledge to repeal President Mr George W Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy.

While Mr Obama has set a goal of creating or preserving 2.5 million jobs by 2011, his economic team have yet to decide how that would be accomplished or how much it would cost.

Mr Austan Goolsbee, a spokesman for Obama on economic issues who is in line to serve on the White House Council of Economic Advisers, yesterday acknowledged that Mr Obama's jobs plan will cost substantially more than the $175 billion stimulus programme h e proposed during the campaign. - PTI

 

[Mr Man]

Sounds like the mother of all stimulus packages is heading our way. Link this with the promised entitlements of Obama's campaign, and it certainly sounds epic in proportion. Are 95% of us still going to get tax cuts?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27854138/print/1/displaymode/1098/

Checklist:

1. Financial meltdown. CHECK.

2. Implement Big Govt. "New Deal" style policies. WAITING FOR IMPLEMENTATION

3. Destroy Middle Class by taxing to extinction. LIKELY.

4. Global War on scale unimaginable over the few scraps still left... INCREASINGLY PROBABLE.


You know, I have heard of this plan before. As I recall, the results were mixed last time.........

I sure hope Liberals have some new ideas this time. I don't think the old ones will work.

 

[adkkev]

Checklist:

1. Financial meltdown. CHECK.

2. Implement Big Govt. "New Deal" style policies. WAITING FOR IMPLEMENTATION

3. Destroy Middle Class by taxing to extinction. LIKELY.

4. Global War on scale unimaginable over the few scraps still left... INCREASINGLY PROBABLE.


You know, I have heard of this plan before. As I recall, the results were mixed last time.........

I sure hope Liberals have some new ideas this time. I don't think the old ones will work.

I am eagerly awaiting your solutions!!

 

[Mr Man]

I am eagerly awaiting your solutions!!

Vote for me in 4 years........and then let's talk.


Like you, I am eagerly awaiting the transendent solution, and the resultant cries of disappointment when it becomes clear it is neither transendent nor a solution. Just more reflexive Govt. growth.

Sure hope I am wrong (this happens from time to time I am happy to say)........

 

[JonS99]

Are you familiar at all with the process? Your State and Local governments do not just "come up with" cash for infrastructure, they get partial funding from the Federal Government, and that money has to be approved in appropriations. Just like they get when they build schools or anything else of major infrastructure.

Those are funded thru motor fuel taxes, what Obama wants to do is on top of that, just more tax and spend from our friends in Washington....Then again, thats 2.5 million voters they feel will be in their hip pocket and thats what its all about..

 

[manning]

Are 95% of us still going to get tax cuts?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27854138/print/1/displaymode/1098/

What do you think? The plan now is to let the bush tax cut die in 2011. They say that will raise the tax rate for the higher wage earner.

Guess what. When it expires the bottom tax bracket will disappear. The bottom 10% will become the bottom 15%. EVERYONE pays the bottom bracket.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

Checklist:

1. Financial meltdown. CHECK. Begun by the policies and under the leadership of the great George W.

2. Implement Big Govt. "New Deal" style policies. WAITING FOR IMPLEMENTATION Hold up there! That was begun under George W. as well but they're screwing it up.

3. Destroy Middle Class by taxing to extinction. LIKELY. HA! We have a chance to save the middle class and the working class too for that matter under the Obama Administration. Bush and his rich pals did their best to... to ravish the working folks in this country or did you miss that?

4. Global War on scale unimaginable over the few scraps still left... INCREASINGLY PROBABLE. Obama plans to stop threatening and bullying the rest of the world. How in the world can you extrapolate that into global war?


You know, I have heard of this plan before. As I recall, the results were mixed last time.........

I sure hope Liberals have some new ideas this time. I don't think the old ones will work.

There's a lot of sore loser talk going on around this place. Why not try and relax a little? Let the new team fix things for ya. Lord knows your guy has made a huge mess of it.

 

[loco4dis]

They don't use their entire check to pay taxes - they also use the money to pay their bills, shop in stores, go on vacation, etc.... - you know, the things that keep the economy growing. Personally, I'd rather see the goverment use the money to create jobs for the bridges, roads, schools etc..create jobs so that people can count on an income - when they can count on an income, they don't mind spending - and we, as citizens will have something to show for the money spent. That makes more sense than just sending out the occasional stimulus check, spending trillions in a country that doesn't want us there, and bailing out big companies that can't understand why the taxpayers are upset about the corporate get aways, and private jets.

You missed the point of my post. Putting a bunch of workers on the federal payroll will only be as effective as Obama's PRO-BUSINESS agenda is. Those new paychecks will be dependent upon taxes coming into the federal government. If Obama decries private enterprise profits and embarks on a regulatory orgy, then private business will suffer, fewer taxpayer dollars will head to the federal coffers, and there will be NO MONEY to pay for these public works projects he is proposing. His plan, as stated today, is utterly and completely dependent upon a thriving private enterprise/capitalist sector. Government does NOT generate income. Government does NOT generate innovation. Government does NOT earn money. The private sector does. In order to "create jobs" at the federal level, Obama will have to make good and sure capitalism is flourishing, because the capitalists will be funding his programs — not the "government." The government doesn't fund anything. The government has no money, unless capitalists make profits and send them a portion of those profits through taxes. So if you like Obama's "public works" program, I suggest you embrace capitalism and pray for huge, huge private sector profits. Otherwise, his program is dead on arrival.