$10,000,000,000,000

[smockers83]

$10,000,000,000,000.

How many zeros is that? What is that number? Is it even possible to have that much money?

First, it's $10 trillion. Is it possible to have that much money? Yes, the total US economy in 2009 was worth just over $14 trillion (in other words, our GDP).

So what's the $10 trillion? Under Obama's proposed budget this year would add $10 trillion to the US public debt over the next decade. By 2020, that debt would be about 90% of US GDP. Holy s***!

All people who read this: this is complete and utter madness. If anybody/thing else was operating with that kind of debt ratio, they would not be surviving and virtually not allowed to operate. This is what our government is doing. We are following the path of the EU and Greece. This is unsustainable.

On top of that, government employees are paid 50% higher than the private sector equivalents (the number of those paid $150,000 plus has doubled since 2008). And some of them don't pay their taxes, but the IRS finds it very, very difficult to get them to pay. This amounts to well over $100 million dollars for tax year 2008 alone.

This government needs a shake down and lean six sigma applied to it. The government needs to get lean and mean in order for our country to remain the power it is. China is sitting by waiting for us to go under and become the top power. Some of their top military officials are calling for a drastic increase in defense spending in order to challenge the US.

Our government lives in lala land afraid to take the measures needed to be sustainable. This is because they know if they cut budgets this year, they will never see that kind of money again.

It is insane and my future is screwed. Thanks to those who voted for this piece of s*** government. Remember the days I was saying there would be the day that I would say, I told you so?

[BusyBadger]

Had a chance to watch this yet?

Ten Trillion and Counting

I get nauseous just thinking about the potential ramifications.

Here's another good one, this one about the CFTC and the derivatives market.

The Warning

[srellim234]

While you're mentioning insanity,

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

If you vote for anyone with an "R" or "D" for a party affiliation, you are the insane one. Both have proven repeatedly they are incapable of governance. Why do liberals and conservatives keep voting for them thinking they'll get a different result?

[dusred]

This thread isn't about Republicrats or Demicans. It's about our obvious problem in Washington.

Smock, I just read Mark Levin's book "Liberty and Tyranny". A lot of this is covered in the book. I think you would enjoy it, and anyone else who studies economics or would like to learn more about the US economy.

[srellim234]

My post is about the obvious problem in Washington. Both parties have specialized in deficit spending, graft, corruption, collusion and impasse that have gotten our country to this point.

It's not "Republican or Democrat." Its' "Republican and Democrat."

The entire country keeps electing the same people, thinking they'll get a different result.

Washington has no chance of the problems getting addressed and fixed until the present people and both political parties are thrown out of there.

[BusyBadger]

What a lot of the conservative hardliners fail to mention when they rail on about PBO's budget plans and the deficit is that W entered office with a budget surplus and blew it all. It makes me think about someone realizing that they have money in their savings account and deciding to go out and spend it all instead of planning for the future.

It's political suicide to go up in front of the people of the US and tell them that taxes will need to rise and government entitlements will need to get cut, but that's what will need to be done. The longer this crap gets swept under the rug the worse the problem becomes and the harder the decisions that need to be made will be more drastic. What's better, to make some planned cuts and trims around the budget earlier on or waiting for things to decay even further and then being forced to make decisions that are unplanned and unexpected?

I have this image of Clint Howard in Apollo 13 telling Ed Harris to shut down the engines on the command module and telling him, "The Odyssey is dying. From my chair this is the only option."

[smockers83]

While that is true of W, it is hard to prove he was the sole cause of it. I don't have any hard numbers in front of me trending out government spending, but there are other factors to take into consideration when making the claim W blew our surplus. The stock market crashed with the tech bubble, then there was also the recession of 2003, and not to mention the start of the war.

Everybody is right so far in that this is not about the GOP or the Dems. This is about us, our country, and our government. It almost makes me want to get into politics and be the one to flush nearly all of them out (there are still some grand statesmen there). Who's with me, who's bloody with me? (name that movie)

Everyone complained about the war and how it was putting us further and further into debt. This is much worse by scale and policy; policy because it's much easier to end a war than it is to end bad programs that have been promised and set in as law.

The people who keep voting these luneys into office term after term is because, I think, two reasons. First, they do it hoping the balance of power finally tips to their favor and they get what their representative has been pushing for. Secondly, because their representative says they will work until a solution is found. Subconscious, this puts the voters in a position where they will vote for this person over and over because if they don't, the work that's been "done" will be lost.

[BusyBadger]

That's so weird, I don't even remember typing "blew it all", weird. I need some coffee! I meant to say that he left office with a budget shortfall. I certainly don't hold the entirety of economic woes over W's head. Some yes, all...certainly not. Fanny, Freddy, derivatives, credit deregulation, ...wow, this thread can spawn a lot of other topics in short order.

Seriously anyone that hasn't watched the $10 Trillion link I posted needs to, and pay close attention to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security as a percentage of the federal budget and how it's going to swell over the next ten to twenty years if we continue on our current course.

Great quote, great movie...and appropriate. Too bad it was Prothero that said it. Read the graphic novel, instead of the Bush Bash the Wachowski brothers made it, it's more an argument of anarchism vs fascism that leaves everything open to interpretation by the reader instead of telling them what to think. I think it's far better than "Watchmen" based on it's political subject matter, literary allusions and lecture without preaching method of storytelling.

[WDRacing]

When I talk about what needs to be done around my Liberal friends they look at me like I'm the F'N Devil incarnate. What do you mean take away from the poor? I mean IDGAF about the poor, or the illegals or handicapped or the whatever your excuse is.

Where does it say that everyone has the right to a subsidized living paid for by those that actually work towards something better?

W T F is the matter with some people?

Another thing I'm tired of hearing about is blah blah Bush etc Bush. How about who gives a F? Bush aint in office and we can curse that idiot from now until hell freezes over and it doesn't change a G Damn thing.

How can we the people right this situation? The so called leaders of this nightmare will NEVER be able to right the ship. Steve is right when he says the POS Republicans and Democrats can't help us. They are so F'd up with corruption and party BS it makes me wanna commit horrible acts.

WD

[seang]

Everybody is right so far in that this is not about the GOP or the Dems. This is about us, our country, and our government. It almost makes me want to get into politics and be the one to flush nearly all of them out (there are still some grand statesmen there). Who's with me, who's bloody with me? (name that movie)

Is that the scene of Titanic where the poor 3rd class Irish guy is getting everyone pumped up about busting the gate down? All the while the prim and proper English orderly (douchebag) was saying "you can't do that."

I feel I have to make a reference to a short story I read:

"Ship of Fools" is a short story in which various people, representing oppressed groups in American society, squabble about living conditions aboard a ship, in spite of the fact that its course towards the North Pole presents ever-increasing danger. The cabin boy warns of their impending doom and calls for a few of them to charge the poop deck and oust the captains. However, he is dismissed as a violent, unrealistic fascist and ignored. The story concludes abruptly:

"They pushed him away and went back to grumbling about wages, and about blankets for women, and about the right to suck ccks, and about how the dog was treated. The ship kept sailing north, and after a while it was crushed between two icebergs and everyone drowned."

Text version is here. It's not long at all, about a 5 minute read. http://www.sacredfools.org/cri...y.htm


Modified by seang at 11:35 PM 3/8/2010

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Hear hear...I have switched from slightly leaning left to taking a hard-line right view of this country thanks to the past couple of years.

While all this financial and political s*** is going down...we are creating a generation of dumbasses who expect to have their hand held throughout their entire life. Again...the many are being dragged down by the needs of a few.

[audtatious]

I don't support a hard left nor hard right view. I support a fiscal viewpoint. Want to give the poor more money? Better make damn sure the bills are paid and people who are busting azz have the opportunity for growth.

In general.....Those that have not? Sorry about your luck, better devise a better way to do things in order to make it in this world. Opportunity is there and I don't give a rats azz about the number of daddies babies you are raising. Should have learned to keep your legs together.

[smockers83]

I'd like to update the unpaid taxes by federal employees up to $3 billion in 2008.

The movie is V for Vendetta.

The administration disputes the fact that fed employees are paid more, saying that they're actually paid 22% less. Yeah, right.

The data clearly, clearly proves my point and goes against the administration that was hope and change. Some of us here knows what happens when you try to prove me wrong when I have all the data to back me up. Wish I could take my ability to DC.

Let me at em, let me at em!
Modified by smockers83 at 7:49 PM 3/9/2010

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

I'd like to update the unpaid taxes by federal employees up to $3 billion in 2008.

Modified by smockers83 at 7:49 PM 3/9/2010

Holy crap.

[crakin]

So are our "Elected" officials selling the country??? Is this what we are pretty much seeing. Soon there is gonna be a worldwide lawsuit or some kinda shenanigans that we are all obligated to support with our souls or some s***. Andrew jackson was the only Pres. to ever pay off our debt...Probably the last. AMERICA "It'll be cool, maybe."

[AZhitman]

Hear hear...I have switched from slightly leaning left to taking a hard-line right view of this country thanks to the past couple of years.

While all this financial and political s*** is going down...we are creating a generation of dumbasses who expect to have their hand held throughout their entire life. Again...the many are being dragged down by the needs of a few.

I could hug you (but then you might be tempted to run back to the left).

Seriously. Well-stated.

[AZhitman]

When I talk about what needs to be done around my Liberal friends they look at me like I'm the F'N Devil incarnate. What do you mean take away from the poor? I mean IDGAF about the poor, or the illegals or handicapped or the whatever your excuse is.

Where does it say that everyone has the right to a subsidized living paid for by those that actually work towards something better?

MORE brilliance.

See how good it feels to strip away the political correctness?

I care about the poor, the uninsured, and the handicapped - But IT'S MY F***ING CHOICE how to show that I care - I don't want the government to force me.

It's time to storm the gates - BO and his team of morons have pushed good people around for long enough.

Prepare for the Silent Majority to rise up and hand you a landslide defeat.