Posted by Tina
The economy and Jobs! Do the American people have to rush the halls of Congress to make our representatives aware of the urgency? It’s obvious that the economy is performing at a sluggish pace at best. It’s obvious that the middle and poor classes are suffering without opportunity and jobs. We tossed out the queen of healthcare and gave Republicans a second chance. So far it appears they have done nothing but fight with each other…that is, if we are to believe most of the media and blog stories that make headlines day in and out.
Do you share the opinions of these journalists and bloggers…especially those that have a vested interest in tearing the Republican Party to shreds? Are you frustrated over what appears to be a total lack of progress? Have you assumed Tea Party House members have had no redeeming influence or that the leadership has failed miserably and fought the Tea Party members every position? Have you wondered, recently, whether CBO projections have changed since Republicans were elected or how it is that the unemployment number has dropped? Is it possible, just possible, that House Republicans have actually worked together to made some progress?
You might be surprised to discover that, even in the face of a stone cold resistant Harry Reid in the Senate and a zealous transformer of America in the White House, Republicans have made some progress toward better management of the people’s money. Conn Carroll has written a piece for The Examiner, “What the Tea Party Congress Accomplished”:
…if you look at the hard numbers — if you look at the tax-and-spending trajectory that the United States was on before the 112th Congress was sworn into office, and then look at the path the U.S. is on now — you’d see that Republicans in Congress have made tremendous progress in shrinking the size and scope of the federal government.
Mr. Carroll goes on to inform that (according to the Congressional Budget Office) just prior to the last election, the fiscal year estimates for spending (2011-2021) under the Democrat controlled Congress was $3.7 trillion with a total cost of $50 trillion through 2021. Those numbers reflect 24.7% of the economy with taxes set to rise from 14.8% of GDP to 20.8%.
New CBO estimates following the 2011 Budget Control Act and the Sequester have brought those numbers down. The federal government is now on target to spend $46.2 trillion through 2021, a $3.6 trillion savings for taxpayers that represents 18.9% of GDP. In addition the debt projection dropped from the projected $18.2 trillion to the still utterly horrendous but improved $17.87 we currently owe. A trillion here a trillion there pretty soon we’re talking real money.
While it is true that President Obama secured the tax rate hike on the wealthy, it is also true that Republicans preserved the lower rates of the Bush tax cuts for the remainder of taxpayers. Until we can secure the votes to more radically alter the inefficient way Washington does business we should remember to highlight and celebrate the incremental advances our leaders do make…we sure can’t count on most in the media to trumpet our achievements or write about our success stories in a positive way.
What have the Republicans in Congress accomplished? Quite a bit, actually, given the extreme agenda and stubborn dedication of the opposition. Kudos to Conn Carroll and The Examiner!
Sidenote: At the same time we must always keep an eye on the future.
I’m sorry, but as long as we keep defending and sugar-coating our do-nothing House we will keep getting nothing from them. As far as I can tell they have completely refused to govern. There is no focus on jobs or the economy, and instead they are fighting to kill Social Security, Medicare, and Obamacare. Great, they have failed to repeal Obamacare 36 times. They might want to actually get back to work.
And if they want to cut entitlements, I’m fine with that. But I want to see someone stop protecting Monsanto, and I want to stop the $80million sugar bailout, and I want to stop ag subsidies, and stop building defense contracts that even the DOD doesn’t want like tanks, and planes that run over budget and don’t work.
I don’t want Boehner to preach to me that my parents don’t deserve their Medicare or Social Security because we “can’t afford it” when he makes sure his district gets fat defense contracts that waste tax dollars.
Princess I don’t think you can continue with that “do nothing” song given the fact that something has been accomplished. It may not be anything close to what we would like but it is movement and in in the right direction.
They are fighting to kill Obamacare because it will be costly and do more harm than good for the American people.
They are NOT fighting to “kill” SS or Medicare. They are fighting to save it for those that don’t have enough work time left to create an alternate retirement and for those who do to reform it, offering the choice in some cases to remain on the old system if they prefer. They are working, in other words, to make both work more efficiently and deliver a superior product or return. they are working so that future generations will not be stuck with too much debt. the degree to which they will succeed depends on whether or not the people become informed.
These actions would contribute to an improved economy and jobs.
The rest of the pork and inefficiency I can agree with you on but I’d like a link quoting Boehner saying your parents don’t “deserve” MCare or SS because we “can’t afford” it. He is willing to tell the truth about the unsustainable reality of these programs. He is willing to make cuts as part of a plan that would, for instance means test it so wealthy people receive less benefits. Most people your parents age know these programs can’t go on without costing their children and grandchildren dearly. Smart reforms will SAVE the programs for those too old to work who really need it and their kids who can’t afford to pay for it.
/socialsecurity.asp”>Just Facts:
Government cannot keep it’s promise and something needs to be done. Republicans have offered plans at various times since at least 1994. They will not be able to succeed as long as the people remain ignorant of the facts and react emotionally to the lefty negative spin against plans for reform.
I invite everyone to read the information posted at the cite Just Facts linked above. It’s easy to scroll through and very enlightening!
Tina: “While it is true that President Obama secured the tax rate hike on the wealthy, it is also true that Republicans preserved the lower rates of the Bush tax cuts for the remainder of taxpayers.”
No, that’s not at all true. Keeping the lower rates for 98% of taxpayers was always Obama’s plan. He has always said he only wanted to raise taxes on the top 2%. Republicans did not “preserve” anything.
And there is actually a very simple reform we can enact to fix Social Security: remove the payroll tax cap, which currently sits at $113,000. This would ensure that Social Security remains solvent for the next 75 years.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/businessdesk/2012/07/what-impact-would-eliminating.html
Or, we could decide to make poor people pay more and retire later, which is Paul Ryan’s plan.
Gee yeah! Lets just reach into the pockets of anyone that makes some money and take as much of it as we can! That’s an all American ideal as fitting as the apple pie and baseball solute!
Sadly this will not fix the real problem of irresponsible politicians creating programs that can’t possibly deliver what has been promised without exploding the debt and creating division and derision amongst the people! Many of these programs have not helped decrease the numbers of people in poverty but instead increased them, attracting takers like pollen attracts bees.
And you progressives actually think you care about people…and that you know how to help!
So, Chris, it is your intention in backing this plan to just take as much as you can from fellow citizens to fix every unworkable mess the Democrat Party has ever devised? Do you really suppose people will just roll over like dogs and continue working hard to pay the bill? I’ll bet you, like President Obama with his fabulous plans for fixing the economy and focusing on jobs, actually do think this plan would work!
The people that this tax would hit are already paying pretty heavily for the errors and bungling of government. They pay most of the income taxes. They have lost the value of their dollars, savings, and investments, and due to Bill Clinton and his progressives pals tinkering with the lending laws, many have even lost their homes. The taxpayers have already paid too in terms of lost opportunity in this non improving economy. Some of those taxpayers in states like California and New York already pay half of their earnings to federal, state, and local governments.
In other words…ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?
The answer is not removing the ceiling.
Obamas plan is to create great masses of people with their hands out needy and dependent on government. The poor are being taxed through hidden taxes. the poor are being treated like pets while their dollars lose buying power. The poor are just pawns in a grand plan to create a socialist/corporatist government of elites who take lavish vacations, live high on the hog, and toss crumbs to the masses. the only thing it will cost you is your freedom.
Ryan’s new budget proposal is a framework for discussion and modification as all plans are. It is far from perfect but undeserving of your negative criticism. According to several sources his new plan does not address social security.
I like Rand Paul’s plan because it actually takes the very serious problem of federal excess seriously.
Either one would be a good place to begin…at least they would if we would like to: 1. Preserve freedom and opportunity, 2. Get people working again, and 3. See our economy take off like a rocket!
Washington Post:
(emphasis mine)
Changing the cost of living formula amounts to a hidden tax, probably on every taxpayer.
“Sadly this will not fix the real problem of irresponsible politicians creating programs that can’t possibly deliver what has been promised without exploding the debt and creating division and derision amongst the people! Many of these programs have not helped decrease the numbers of people in poverty but instead increased them, attracting takers like pollen attracts bees.”
Look, I know you’re always a hare’s breath away from a rant against Big Government, but try to stay focused for once. We are talking about Social Security. That is not a program for “takers.” People pay into this system their entire lives. The money they get is their own.
It is not unreasonable to ask people to continue paying into this system after they have reached a certain threshold. We are not “taking” anything from them, we are asking them to continue supporting a system that benefits them as well as their fellow citizens.
Paul Ryan’s plan is to cut SS benefits and raises the eligibility age. That is insane. As usual, you are determined to stop people from “taking” from the rich, but have no problem with taking anything away from the poor.