Lindaman writes:
As we enjoy another Labor Day celebrating the American worker, the state of the economy is weighing on the minds of many. Whether it's high unemployment or companies who make employees work extra hours so the companies don't have to hire additional staff, the employment situation is looking grim. Combine with that the fact that the first stimulus package has done more to grow jobs in the public sector than the private sector
Actually, the August jobs report showed the economy gaining 67,000 jobs in the private sector, but public sector cutbacks, primarily the loss of temporary Census jobs, brought the overall payroll picture to a net loss of 54,000. Economists had expected the loss of about 120,000 jobs. Like Obama said, it's getting better but it needs to be even MORE better.
and Congress is intent on adding more debt to our backs, and things don't look any better.
So cut taxes! That'll eliminate debt, right?
Put simply, the economy is in dire need of fixing. What the Washington politicians on both sides don't realize is that the way to fix the economy resides in the working class.
Republicans... champions of the working class!
Here are some suggestions to help get the economy back on the right track.
This should be a hoot. Right up there with your "Crush unions to fix healthcare" idea.
1) Cut taxes for the working and upper classes. I know, the Left will say "That's your solution for everything,"
No, the right-wing solution for everything is tax cuts for the wealthy only. And deregulation. The only reason any right-wing politicians say anything about tax cuts for the working class, is to keep the workers from eating them.
but it actually works. When you cut taxes, it allows people to keep their money, which they can save, spend, or invest. In each case, the economy is stimulated in some fashion at different speeds. Given the nature of America today, our tendency would be to spend that extra money, which would...stimulate the economy. Funny how that works, isn't it?
Then why is the GOP fighting Obama on tax cuts for small businesses?
As we enjoy another Labor Day celebrating the American worker, the state of the economy is weighing on the minds of many. Whether it's high unemployment or companies who make employees work extra hours so the companies don't have to hire additional staff, the employment situation is looking grim. Combine with that the fact that the first stimulus package has done more to grow jobs in the public sector than the private sector
Actually, the August jobs report showed the economy gaining 67,000 jobs in the private sector, but public sector cutbacks, primarily the loss of temporary Census jobs, brought the overall payroll picture to a net loss of 54,000. Economists had expected the loss of about 120,000 jobs. Like Obama said, it's getting better but it needs to be even MORE better.
and Congress is intent on adding more debt to our backs, and things don't look any better.
So cut taxes! That'll eliminate debt, right?
Put simply, the economy is in dire need of fixing. What the Washington politicians on both sides don't realize is that the way to fix the economy resides in the working class.
Republicans... champions of the working class!
Here are some suggestions to help get the economy back on the right track.
This should be a hoot. Right up there with your "Crush unions to fix healthcare" idea.
1) Cut taxes for the working and upper classes. I know, the Left will say "That's your solution for everything,"
No, the right-wing solution for everything is tax cuts for the wealthy only. And deregulation. The only reason any right-wing politicians say anything about tax cuts for the working class, is to keep the workers from eating them.
but it actually works. When you cut taxes, it allows people to keep their money, which they can save, spend, or invest. In each case, the economy is stimulated in some fashion at different speeds. Given the nature of America today, our tendency would be to spend that extra money, which would...stimulate the economy. Funny how that works, isn't it?
Then why is the GOP fighting Obama on tax cuts for small businesses?
Are voters even watching what these moron Republicans are doing? It doesn't matter if it's good, bad or indifferent policy, they might as well just all stand up and drop their pants and moon the Speaker whenever any Democratic proposal comes up, it'd save time!
How the hell can anyone support the Republicans, when they look at a very beneficial package of tax cuts for small businesses - which make up the largest portion of businesses in the country and employ millions, with the potential to employ even more - and despite it being supported by Republican-friendly business interests and others that normally drive the Republican say "Well that's nice, but we think Bush tax cuts and less spending."
When you reply to a positive offer from the opposite side of the house and just thumb your nose at it, then you are doing nothing but being an assclown.
Reagan did fine with no tax increases. Well, maybe he did enact the biggest tax increase ever made during peacetime, but I'm sure that doesn't count.
2) Cut government spending for real. One of the biggest government scams out there is when politicians and their pals in the media claim that government spending has been cut. What's actually been "cut" is the amount of a proposed increase. The way it works is Party A suggests that the Department of Redundancy Department gets a $2 million increase in spending over the previous year. Party B suggests that the Department of Redundancy Department should only get a $1 million increase in spending over the previous year. Both parties (and their friends in the media) say that the Department of Redundancy Department's budget was cut by $1 million when, in fact, it was actually increased by $1 million.
Sometimes this is true, yes.
One way to help the economy is to do some actual spending cuts where departments do have to make due with less. Defense spending,
Cut Defense spending? Wow! Now you're finally talking sense.
the Department of Education, the Department of Interior, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae,
Then he goes full derp.
Why do right-wingers that harp about "cutting spending," bring up the goddamn Department of Education and its whopping 1.3% of the discretionary budget? Because that's the goddamn thing causing our money problems. Right.
and many other areas could be cut without disrupting services (such as they are) to the American people, which would reduce the amount of tax dollars necessary to keep the country running, which in turn means more money gets kept by the working class.
3) Don't micromanage our lives. At every turn, government is trying to get us to act accordingly (or as accordingly as they say we should). Whenever government does that, a bureaucracy is created to ensure compliance, and with bureaucracy comes cost that the people ultimately have to pay for in the form of taxes. If you question this, check out the environmental laws in this country that any small business has to follow. That particular set of laws is so vast and complex, it's impossible for any small business to keep track, let alone follow them. Why not cut the bureaucracy and allow people (including small business owners) make those kinds of common sense decisions on their own?
Because the goal of a free market business is to make money. If they regulate themselves, we'll wind up with... well, our healthcare system.
We may not always make the best choices,
YA THINK?
but government bureaucracy hasn't exactly had the best track record in making good decisions (see the EPA's efforts with the oil spill clean up in the Gulf).
Before you said the EPA made no effort. Now you're saying they're interfering? Because they urged BP to use a safer dispersant to avoid even more environmental damage? The EPA even allowed BP to use landfills for the waste, and you're still bitching? Honestly, you guys...
Besides, the money we save could be better spent on getting the economy going.
But, for the Leftists these ideas may be too complex.
That's funny coming from a group of people who say "goddidit" is the answer to scientific questions.
In the interest of bipartisanship, let me break it down for them.
1) Let us keep our money.
2) Cut spending.
3) Get out of the way.
Hell, let's cut every single cent of optional spending. That includes almost all the military spending. Cool? And we're still in the negative by what, $600B? What great idea do you have next?
Right-wingers are still bitching about the second lowest tax rate in the 1st World and the one of the lowest marginal tax rates in the U.S. in 80+ years? Deluded misanthropes. To live in a civilization that provides you with enough comfort to sit around on your ass bitching about tax rates means someone has to actually pay taxes.
What is paid in terms of taxes is nothing compared what we get back for it:
1. Decent transportation network
2. Drinkable water from the tap
3. Trash removal, etc.
4. Social Security is essentially a pension
5. Police/fire emergency services
6. Fairly reliable food sources that aren't going to kill people outright
7. Education
All of that costs money and it's not cheap.
Yes, some of it is crap. Absolutely. Sin taxes are the worst thought out tax there is, but it's a "feel good" tax for those putting it forward.
I really wish more Americans would live abroad for a while, travel even, and see how much people pay in other countries. Better yet, they can see what nice things higher tax rates can get you. This is why we can't have nice things.
Fine, if you want these things to happen, then stop voting Republican, Mr. Independent (tm). Wasteful spending is something they do in spades.