First things first: AmeriCorps made it into this year's budget. To anyone who reached out to a member of Congress, thank you. It's good to know effective and efficient programs are still appreciated in Washington.
Second, it's eight o'clock on a Friday night in New York City, so you better believe I'm not spending it here on a longwinded post. But I do want to share my thoughts on the president's budget proposal before they become stale or influenced.
I believe Obama's proposal, however imperfect, is a much more realistic and reasonable approach to fiscal sanity than Paul Ryan and the Republicans' mathematically enigmatic monstrosity- almost $5 trillion in spending cuts, Medicare as we know it eliminated, trillions more lost in tax breaks, AND 3.5% unemployment in ten years??? It's a political nightmare to admit, but any sensible long term budget solution is going to have to include tax increases in one form or another. Democrats seem to recognize this fact despite its potential for electoral volatility, while Republicans seem intent on pursuing a dangerously flawed financial roadmap in order to appease (and reward) their clamoring base.
Obviously, Obama's plan should and will be debated in Congress and more cuts will inevitably be drawn from Medicare and non-defense discretionary spending. The President's version of the budget never looks like the one he ends up signing. But it's more than just a fiscal proposal, it's a statement, a declaration, and in this case more of a reminder, that despite his willingness to negotiate with (capitulate to, some would say) Republicans, inside President Obama's chest beats the heart of a liberal.
Time will tell if this partisan yet practical (it's pretty much in line with the Debt Panel's recommendations) vision of America's financial future will pass muster in Congress. It probably won't. But then again, neither will Ryan's. The final cut will be somewhere inbetween. Personally, I think Obama's budget is solid and should be the framework for congressional negotiations. Although it's a blatant shout out to the Democratic base, the proposal offers numerous constructive ideas and also serves to define the conversation, something Obama has struggled with in the past, as we head into 2012. Let the games begin.
Ok so that was kind of longwinded...Happy Birthday Dad!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This is Republican leadership? (Ryan's budget proposal)
ReplyDeleteRepublicans are truly lost, or truly want to destroy the government (America).
No one WANTS to pay more taxes, but being responsible is what's needed.
Math is actually simple and logical. Something the Republicans have not shown in Federal fiscal policies since Ike.
It's no surprise (but sad) that following Reagan's fiscal policies over the last 30 years has left us near bankruptcy (13 trillion in debt).
WAKE UP AMERICA.... WE MUST.....WAKE UP OR THE FUTURE WILL NOT BE VERY ROSY THIS CENTURY.....!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOr else we will loose everything we built up after WWII....
Are we really afraid of being protectionists....or should we STOP IMPORTS....or slow it down a lot so our decimated industries can get back in the game and compete against Asia and other foreign countries........
After 45 years of offering Exports to Asia it is no wonder we have no jobs at home in America......plus our richest companies now are Importers but do not have jobs for Americans at home...as we have finally hit the Wall...finally...I am not surprised as everything now is going up in price...it is called inflation for sure....that will be the final blow to America....
How about picketing all the US Malls who carry 95% of Imports like in my 2 industries....Manufacturers who are hanging on still and who are still in business but have been decimated or many others have gone out of business for the last 45 years because they could not compete with Foreign countries or American Importers either...........so "America" .... and at any store that sells Imports...Picket them...they will eventually get the message and sell American products eventually .......and say in your picket signs that WE WILL NOT BUY IMPORTS ANYMORE...and...SELL ONLY MADE IN THE USA PRODUCTS....those IMPORTS benefits all the Special Interest Folks who eliminated our Manufacturing bases over the last 45 years...with the help of our Government and with campaign financing which they offered to legislators to pass just the right bills for them in exchange........I have seen it happen with my own eyes....IMPORTS are our long lost jobs mostly transferred in Asia.....picketing with signs will raise the ears of those Buyers who put Imports in our Retail Stores and who sell them willingly to naive consumers......consumers who have zero ideas that they are eliminating American Jobs....so.....!!!!!!
Also wondering why we have a 2% of rich folks who have as much money as the rest of the 98%...IMPORTS are full of benefits and profits...that is why our Retailers don't buy American made products....as there less profits in buying or selling American products for sure....this issue Imports has contributed to our demise economically for a very long time....
Many of us are already Liberals....but Liberals & Conservatives and folks in the middle have all created this economic problem over the last 45 years........and it has not helped in this century or the last one to have 2 parties that can't work together in Washington or in our 50 States.........as they don't have common senses on how to fix America....how many times more am I going to vote out legislators and replace them with another while the problems get worse after I voted.......!!!!!
What do we have to be and do to overcome our present situation....???? START OVER...!!!
Here is one of my ideas to fix our economy first and get our jobs back.......STOP IMPORTS...!!!...and stop trading Boeing Airplanes for Sweat shirts with China......it won't work well for us to Trade this stupid way........Imports are Imports that have eliminated our jobs sources at home....!!!!
And is becoming protectionist necessary.....!!! YES
And can we overcome the world order that we impose on many countries...!!! YES if we don't get involved unless someone attacks us....
And so on....and on.....and on.....!!!!
So... Stop Imports and slow down Asia or they will control all of our best markets....and Asia will have the jobs for their People and we won't....it's that simple.
Joel in LA