...the link to see how we compared to the other countries of the OECD in 2010. We must be right up there with those socialist Scandinavian countries...
It should be a surprise to anyone why we have a 16 trillion dollar debt. We never had a debt that exceeded 1 trillion until Reagan gave the rich a 50% tax cut.
Why the fuck do we have to be like Europe? I don't want everything done for me. This "it takes a village crap" has got to end. If we run the federal govt at 20% of GDP, which is the historical norm, we'll be fine, but we are currently running it at 25%.
Have you seen the newest Lean Forward commercial? That lovely word "collective". Who is this MSNBC witch?
I don't want to be like Europe. But Christ, I also don't want to die driving over a fucking bridge.
Take a look at this. Here are photos of 2 subway systems. One of them is in Sweden. The other you'd think was in a 3rd world country. but it's actually New York's MTA.
I understand the role of government as a last resort to "juice" the economy during recessions. I understand the role of Keynesian economics, within reason though. So how much money has been spent in the past 4 years in order to recover, if you call what we've got a recovery?
$7T in new debt. A $900B Stimulus (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act). A whopping $45B was allocated to "shovel ready" projects. What marketing putz in govt came up with shovel ready.
$900B wasn't enough, so the govt came up with cash for clunkers. Most, if not all experts, said it was a failure. We had a myriad of mortgage relief programs. We had a payroll tax holiday. We had 99 weeks of unemployment. And what do we have willy? We got maybe 1-2% GDP growth, which is basically flat because our population grows by 1% a year.
Our federal budget as a share of GDP is about 25%. Obama's newly released budget is $3.8T out of GDP of $15T. Historically we average about 20%. So we are spending #800B more per year than normal, but I GUESS that's not enough.
Do you know we are going to have another housing bubble? Dodd-Frank is supposed to put the shackles on banks about loaning money to people who shouldn't be buying houses. Obama is encouraging banks to loan to less than qualified borrowers AGAIN. How about buying a house with a FICO score of less than 600, and 3% down. This shit never ends.
And don't compare us to Sweden. It's a bit easier to get shit done in a small homogenous country.
It's easy to say that we pay "only" twenty something percent in taxes if you are one of the people only paying twenty something percent. Even easier to say if you pay nothing or actually take FROM the system instead.
Not that I would ever want to emulate Europe, but I would be interested in seeing just how broad their tax base is, I would be willing to bet that more than half pay at least something into the system, unlike another country I could mention.
It is what do you get for the amount you're being taxed.
The greed based construct systematically implemented over the years by the American Corporatocracy and the Banks would leave the 99% still without healthcare, housing, infrastructure maintenance etc etc. Even if we were in with the Scandinavian country’s 47% tax rates.
Every ten years the banks, corporations,Wall Street, or the Military Industrial Complex create a bubble, or war that when burst is left for the 99% to pay for while the 1% who orchestrated/enabled the bubble pay a tiny fraction of the percentage rate as the 99%.
I re-iterate; "This Country of ours has simply degenerated into a hypocritical piece of “sell it to the highest bidder” SHIT that DESERVES to go down the fucking toilet as the most egregious, venal, corrupt, duplicitous, cacophony of slavish idolaters to money ever!"
Unfortunately it looks like your attempt to purchase VIP membership has failed due to your card being declined. Good news is that we have several other payment options that you could try.
VIP MEMBER
, you are now a VIP member!
We thank you for your purchase!
VIP MEMBER
, Thank you for becoming VIP member!
Membership should be activated shortly. You'll receive notification!
