This is the message. Shout it from the rooftops and beat the GOP to death with it.
🇳🇱
@SrRochardBunson what does it mean "refusing to pay for it"...isnt a tax cut by definition, something you dont have to pay?
@freemo @SrRochardBunson He means that the GOP can no longer hide behind the ruse of "fiscal responsibility" to cover their actual goal of helping the rich get richer at the expense of the vast majority of American voters.
Ahh so I guess he meant "pay" figuratively... got it!
@freemo @SrRochardBunson If they actually cared about the debt, they would only make tax cuts in one area that are paid for by spending cuts in another so as to keep a balanced budget. Clearly, the do not actually care about a balanced budget.
@larthallor Not to defend the GOP but im not sure its that simple. If they could have their way they would probably cut all or most social programs and give the highest tax bracket a tax cut. Hopefully achieving a balanced budget.
But its not like they have free reign and actually get to cut social programs (since democrats block it). Not saying that is wrong of the dems to block, just saying they dont really have the choice to control both sides of the equation.
@larthallor I am familiar with the concept... It is self destructive because it assumes the democrats will act responsibly and not spend money they dont have.. but we all know that the democrats are just as reckless to their ideals as the conservatives, so such a tactic in practice doesnt work.
@larthallor @freemo bad actor. 👎
@freemo @larthallor They have zero intention of balancing the budget. They only intend to cripple the government's ability to function.
Regulation is inherently unprofitable. If it were the cheapest/most lucrative way of behaving, companies wouldn't need to be forced to clean up their own pollution, pay minimum wage, honor contracts, etc.
@freemo @larthallor
They care nothing for a balanced budget.
"
My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years, to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub."
-Grover Norquist
They do not have free reign, but they are trying to leverage the tyranny by the minority to accomplish their unpopular policy objectives.
Ehh if they have the votes thry arent a minority by definition, though i do see what you mean (since they are very slightly less than 50% in the general population and by popular vote).
They are simply voting for their agenda, blindly and without consideration for the bigger picture... just like democrats they just do it from tbe other side with different agendas.
That would not balance the budget. Recall that historically the GOP acts hawkish. Defense budget dwarfs social programs… it’s approaching $1,000,000,000,000.
@kegill Possibly.. i mean their reluctance to reduce the defense budget is an issue. That said they could gut social programs and potentially balance it with tax cuts, so that is legit... though its an idiotic way to balance it IMO.
Ummm. Tax cuts are what got us upside down!
Defense $ is about HALF of discretionary spending. Trillions. And we spend more than the next 10, including China and Russia, combined. It. Is. Obscene.
You either support veterans benefits and shipping products by sea or you don't.
“President Biden’s fiscal year 2024 budget released March 9 … is the largest budget proposal in U.S. history for veterans – total FY 2024 request for VA is $325.1 billion.”
The DEFENSE budget proposal is almost $1,000,000,000.
VA $ is “outside of it.”
VA is the 2nd largest department *after* DOD.
@kegill So, which part is obscene to you?
Active duty soldiers and families not having housing?
The official guidance that they should be on the food stamp program to avoid starving?
VA infrastructure that's being rebuilt/replaced for the first time in 60 years?
Providing benefits to female soldiers when there are more than 3 times as many of these now?
Providing housing to veterans living on the streets?
Researching treatments for chemical exposure?
Chris, the VA is a separate agency from DoD. They have different budgets. I have never said that VA budgets are excessive although I believe discretionary wars should not happen. We have a host of vets from not one but two wars in Iraq (I have a friend who fought in both and has the scars to prove it). Both were discretionary.
@kegill I find it gross that we have Republicans, taking money from billionaires, who keep constantly chipping away at the revenues and IRS staffing/funding, while at the same time approving all the spending they want.
If you actually want to balance the budget, you can do that with tax reform and catching tax cheats!
https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/whole-ball-of-tax-historical-income-tax-rates
@freemo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast