Comments on: Starve The Beast Worked, But It Defunded The Government

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:49:44 +0000

Federal revenue shifts from one year to the next are driven in large part by the business cycle – which of late has been driven primarily by the credit cycle.

One can remove the effect of these short-term shifts by comparing decades, looking at the average annual federal revenue. Of course over that long a period, one needs to adjust for inflation and population growth.

Average annual federal revenue, adjusted for inflation and population growth, was higher from 2001-2010 than for 1991-2000, higher for 1991-2000 than for 1981-1990, higher for 1981-1990 than for 1971-1980.

= The beast didn’t starve – he got up and went back to the buffet table for seconds.

Essential government functions are being crowded out – but not by “revenue shortfalls” – revenue growth has outpaced the combined rate of inflation and population growth. Essential government functions are being crowded out by waste. Military bases in Germany. Wars in the Middle East being continued after we killed the guys we were there to kill. Bailouts. Stimulus. We spend $500BN more per year than we spent in 2007! Only about $100BN of that is on increased social security and medicare – the rest is pure unadulterated nonsense.

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By: debracaballero

debracaballero — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:15:08 +0000

Why can’t we raise up a new media?

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By: debracaballero

debracaballero — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:09:35 +0000

You know what… I hate conspiracy theories…..but i’ve watched the repubs for the last decade dismantle our economy bit by bit and I know something very sinister is up. There is no doubt about it! A silent evil revolution is occurring in our country and most of its citizens seem unaware of its existence. This civil war is brilliant in design, I have to hand it to the neocons, they have some real evil geniuses within their ranks. Wage a war against your enemy in such a quiet sneaky way he has no idea that he is even at war. And to top it off make your enemy help you win this war by supporting it. Absolutely brilliant! Its very simple, starve the masses and bring them to their knees with seemingly no way out….then bring out the master plan, which by then will be sounding good. Nationwide super toll highways owned by foreign countries, inter-amero currency etc. but no
real drastic change to “our” country can occur without the complete dismantling of it. Our enemy knows this hence its frantic plan to bring us to our knees. Conspiracy theory? The proof is in the pudding.

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By: newmeximan

newmeximan — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:13:13 +0000

The conservatives have been whittling away at the consumer protections but in place after the last depression. It began in the 70′s with allowing North Dakota to offer credit across state lines. As credit became cheaper, more and more people stopped saving for consumer goods they wanted, and became slaves to interest rates. An item purchased on credit is discarded and replaced before being paid for.

At the same time, conservatives allowed corporations to wiggle out of their promises and contacts to provide a pension after a term of service to the corporation. The 401K was invented, and created a new career path – money manager. Of course, the manager is paid whether the corporate portion of the fund makes or loses money. Not satisfied with the churning and service fees that kept a retirement fund equal or less than the employee contributed – they ‘modernized’ the commodities futures market so that the margin account required less money, created new financial ‘vehicles’, and kept the new derivatives out of the eyes of regulators.

Conservatives have brought back bucket shops, and they are completely legal. Why go to a casino, when you can place a bet with your broker?

Take heart, America. The top 2% will have to spend all of their money on private security when we can no longer fund local police departments. In France, the same ‘type’ of people where dragged into the streets by their hair. And they had private security who decided to change their loyalty from money to honor. Hopefully, the GOP will be punished in 2012 for protecting the tax rates for the wealthiest, while they cut spending for the services the dwindling middle class actually pay for.

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By: bee

bee — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:41:54 +0000

Taxes are the membership fees of a just society……..

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