Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The Final Decision

I see the so-called "compromise" the president and the Democrats have agreed to as a terrible mistake.

The Republicans have allowed an unelected group of people to dictate their actions in this debt crisis. I agree there is a debt crisis. But who created it? The simple fact is that the GOP under George W. Bush created two wars, an unfunded Medicare drug benefit, and tax cuts heavily slanted toward the rich and left that on the taxpayers backs. And now they want the Democrats and President Obama to take the credit for that deficit.

The New York Times published a graphic recently comparing the total cost of new government policies under Bush ($5.07 trillion) and Obama ($1.4 trillion). How can the American public be so dense as to not see the truth?

In January 2009, just before President Obama took office, the budget office projected a $1.2 trillion deficit for 2009 and deficits in subsequent years, based on continuing Mr. Bush's policies and the effects of recession. Mr. Obama's policies in 2009 and 2010, including the stimulus package, added to the deficits in those years but are largely temporary. But that's not how we Republicans have painted it.

So when Speaker Boehner speaks of "the largest spending binge in American history," he's hiding who's responsible. The Obama administration has added a comparative fraction to the National Debt, almost all by necessity. Also due to recession, tax revenues are way down and the very rich are getting a free ride with the tax breaks Bush handed them. The very rich do not pay much income tax and their capitol gains tax, the last time I checked, worked out to be about 15%.

Furthermore according to an expose' by 60 Minutes, many of these companies are opening offices overseas where their tax is almost non existent. They man the office with a receptionist but the actual operation is still in America. They escape paying American taxes at the American rate that way. Big business and the tea party are calling the shots and playing the music and the Republicans are dancing to their tune.

Is that their fair share?

The answer to that rhetorical question is "NO".

2 comments:

Margaret (Peggy or Peg too) said...

I am so glad I found you Margie.
And this post is spot on.

I keep telling my husband I want to leave this country. I am tired of all the playing and no one really giving a damn about us.
I will wear him down I think...perhaps Canada so we can finally get healthcare that we so need and at least they speak English. I'm getting too old to learn a new language. :-)

marlu said...

Margie, I think people just don't believe the facts. They are so taken in by what the Republicans tell them and don't check things out for themselves.

I am so sad that the reason for all this is to defeat the current president - their stated goal.