Nathan's Third Maxim of Socialism:
the remedy for failed socialism is seldom a free-market solution but invariably more socialism.
Posted on 06/15/2019 4:48:10 AM PDT by Kaslin
But, but, everyone LOVE their *FREE* s* (even the (R)N(C) party of ‘small govt’ BWHAHAHahaha)
Most conservative are by nature optimistic and hopeful.
...
Not on FreeRepublic.
“... there will be no political consequences so long as there is no pain. Indeed, the political consequences run the other way because those who complain about overspending tend to lose elections. Those who promised to keep the music playing tend to win elections.”
True ... except if/when the time arises to take from the masses (either in cutting benefits and/or increase taxes and/or devaluing the $) the gerrymandered politicians shall remain in power to fix the problem they have had a hand in perpetuating. This started long ago (FDR), and it is a game of mu$ical chair$ for the political class.
How difficult is it to stop spending? Consider: Social Security, Medicare, and other retirement are 41% of the budget; Social programs 22%; Defense 20%, and interest on the debt 6%. That’s 89% of the expenditures. With built in COLAs, a retiring baby boom generation, ~30% of those >55 years of age with no retirement savings, ~50% of workers pay no FIT, ... just where will a kamikaze politician venture to cut? As you re-wrote ... to paraphrase ... there is no political consequence to keep spending while the music continues to play. Until the culture supports a morality based on financial responsibility which includes holding politicians responsible, the laws of economics may eventually solve the problem to detriment of nearly all.
“One thing you will never hear discussed is the cost of illegal immigration or reducing this cost.”
And I think it’s really cool that Federal tax money is paying for instructors to give classes to illegal alien transgender men on how to apply makeup and appear more feminine. Yes; we are paying for THAT!
Nathan's Third Maxim of Socialism:
the remedy for failed socialism is seldom a free-market solution but invariably more socialism.
It’s pretty clear that neither political party is serious about reining in spending, and if one ever is, the other will just use it as a wedge against them to gain political power.
It’s worked so far because we have been the world’s reserve currency and every attempt to move off the dollar thus far has failed or floundered. That can’t be guaranteed to happen forever, and if it does, it would impact the US far later than the rest of the world because we can still survive as a nation without foreign imports and exports.
Excellent. Succinctly stated. Thanks!
In the words of the immortal country music figure and social critic “Kinky” Friedman ... “In the end, the crowd always chooses Barabbas.”
Hmmm-it’s almost like conservatives are hypocrites about it or something. This place was on fire when the Dems were doing the exact same thing but now that our guy is in charge it’s excuses after excuses. If the Dems take over in 2020 and start running the same deficits again, this place will once again hate $1 trillion budget deficits. Republicans will once again be against debt. Until then-we’ll just be hypocrites.
I think you're quite right, until there is a reckoning the politicians will dance to the music. That reckoning might come sooner rather than later if indications over the horizon come sooner rather than later.
I think we are in a foot race with the socialist Democrats to provide an acceptable solution to the electorate about the dislocations that inevitably are going to come from massive unemployment caused by digitalization, robots, artificial intelligence, in short, all of the technological marvels that are going to change the world from something unrecognizable to the world I was born into.
At least for a lag time, this technological innovation will cause huge unemployment and disaffection among those who do simply do not possess the skills which this new age will reward. A disaffected, uneducated middle-class is just the sort of scenario socialist demagogues long for and in which they thrive.
Whether it is a debt bomb, or globalization because we lost the trade were to China, or by virtue of a Tidal Wave of automation, or by some black Swan, a reckoning of some sort is only a matter of time.
Our job as conservatives is to find a way to preserve our Constitution, our liberties, our capitalist system which is very likely to be subjected to unprecedented stress. Already Democrats, decrying the gap in wealth, are demanding redistribution, more statism, less liberty.
We must find better solutions to keep our birthright intact than merely mouthing platitudes about the dangers of socialism which, to a whole new generation of voting Americans, simply does not compute. Capitalism means liberty and liberty requires the right to property as much as a rule of law. We must find the solutions or the Democrats will impose theirs.
And yet, the government can still borrow for 10 years at 2.08%.
Completely agree. Something needs to be done and just cutting programs won’t do it. Even if you cut all federal spending except for Defense, Medicare and Medicaid, social security, and interest in the debt you would still have to borrow money. At some point and time we will have to increase revenue through taxes, tariffs, or selling government lands.
Agree. The majority of Americans have shown they want programs like Social Security, and Medicare while at the same time showing they don’t want to pay for them.
As much as I dislike tax and spend democrats the cut taxes and spend policies of the republicans have been worse. I believe that being fiscally conservative should mean paying for the programs Americans want.
Regarding your last, Is not the alternative being no choice available? I believe that should I see the end, I will rejoice in having been given the right to choose and maybe influence others in their choice.
Good to see someone else on FreeRepublic has done their homework. I have spent a lot of time researching the budget, sadly most people haven’t.
So what is a politically viable way to solve the problem? Well, it’s like eating an elephant, one bite at a time. The first, and I believe most politically doable, thing it to eliminate the cap on social security taxes while also imposing a maximum benefit amount. For most of its history social security has contributed more to the general fund than it’s taken out. This would allow us to get through the baby boomer bump and then help reduce the deficit.
The only way to end this is term limits.
Your absolutely right. Notice how the Tea Party movement didn’t start until 2007. They didn’t seem to care that Bush Jr. cut taxes and increased spending sending the deficit and debt soaring. Oh but when Obama did it they raised a fit. Bunch of hypocrites.
The only answers conservatives have to the deficit and debt problem is to cut taxes and reduce federal spending. Well they’ve been doing that/trying to do that since Reagan and it has failed each time. The debt and deficit has been increasing tremendously from Reagan on except for a leveling off and slight reduction under Clinton.
The hard truth is we will have to eventually raise taxes, but no one has the guts to say it.
“We have a bankrupt, immoral government because we have a bankrupt, immoral citizenry.”
The Founders were right. The Government they created was for a moral, God-fearing people.
History is replete with other forms of “leadership” more suited to people who wish, or are only capable, to live as animals.
When the socialist Islamophiles take over in five years, they’ll simply renounce all debt and declare it Year 1 of the Brave New Age...just all communists do.
“Until the culture supports a morality based on financial responsibility which includes holding politicians responsible...”
This will NEVER happen in 21st Century America. Never. Only consequences so devastating that the nation will not survive them will cause such change...but only after walking through the valley of the shadow of death.
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