The national debt

[Taelia offline]

I hate the fact that the national debt is $13 trillion...TRILLION now...and growing.

[TheLQ offline]

If 1 person calls Obama a socialist/communist, I'm gonna...

[Rho offline]

THE NATIONAL DEBT IS OVER 9000

[SilverPrince offline]

The national debt has less to do with Obama and more to do with... every President since... somewhere around Franklin Roosevelt.

THE NATIONAL DEBT IS OVER 9000

Yes, that's right! 13,000,000,000,000 is a larger number than 9,000. Very good! You get a gold star! However, you also have to sit in the corner with this dunce cap for making usage of that meme.

Meanwhile, on topic, the United States has had a national debt since the beginning, except for a brief moment in 1835 under President Andrew Jackson.

Theoretically, we could pay off the entire debt if 93% of the Gross Domestic Product were funneled straight to the Treasury Department. However, very soon - perhaps 2012 - one year's worth of all the money produced by our economy won't be able to pay it off.

And you know what? The US has the third-lowest Debt to GDP ratio in the G-8.

[. offline]

The national debt has less to do with Obama and more to do with... every President since... somewhere around Franklin Roosevelt.

THE NATIONAL DEBT IS OVER 9000

Yes, that's right! 13,000,000,000,000 is a larger number than 9,000. Very good! You get a gold star! However, you also have to sit in the corner with this dunce cap for making usage of that meme.

Meanwhile, on topic, the United States has had a national debt since the beginning, except for a brief moment in 1835 under President Andrew Jackson.

Theoretically, we could pay off the entire debt if 93% of the Gross Domestic Product were funneled straight to the Treasury Department. However, very soon - perhaps 2012 - one year's worth of all the money produced by our economy won't be able to pay it off.

And you know what? The US has the third-lowest Debt to GDP ratio in the GDP.

I thought there was a surplus during the Clinton administration?

*shrug* all this talk about the economy and this and that. Just a bunch of numbers to me. People can still afford to have Iphones, Xboxes, that seems like a good economy to me.

[SilverPrince offline]

I thought there was a surplus during the Clinton administration?

There was a budget surplus during the Clinton administration. Meaning that the Federal budget was, for a few years, making income rather than coming out negative.

The budget is our plan for revenue and expenses in a given fiscal year. The debt is how much we as a nation owe to other nations or agencies.

[TheLQ offline]

I thought there was a surplus during the Clinton administration?

There was a budget surplus during the Clinton administration. Meaning that the Federal budget was, for a few years, making income rather than coming out negative.

The budget is our plan for revenue and expenses in a given fiscal year. The debt is how much we as a nation owe to other nations or agencies.

Yea that confused the heck out of me when I was in middle school. I heard that Clinton had a surplus and used it to defend every single point during the Bush Administration until I realized that he only made money, not made money + paid off debts + make more money.

[Taelia offline]

It's just one of the things wrong with the govt that's driving me NUTS.

[Rho offline]

It's just one of the things wrong with the govt that's driving me NUTS.

Obama has prevented a second depression. That's a step forward.

Freaking out will only make matters seem worse.

[knifey offline]

Legalize ALL illegal drugs, and the debt goes away, from all the income we'll get from cannabis/hemp alone (if you're going to argue this point, i highly recommend making a new thread).

Also focus more on education, and stop working on our silly military industrial complex.

lol except that won't happen because the pharmaceutical companies, military, private prisons, dea, and a bunch of other cooperates have a tight grip on our politicians while Barrack claims to support the will of people, even though he's not much more than a puppet.

I love this country a lot, if you haven't noticed.

[SilverPrince offline]

even though he's not much more than a puppet.

I'm going to be honest. I really don't like it when people refer to politicians as puppets. It strikes me as a naive, immature view on the political system, and a simplification that people use just because they don't like current policies. Yes, the political system is rife with lobbying. Yes, there are special interests that try - and succeed - to get their desires to become enshrined in law and/or policy. But by no means are these special interests in control. At least, not in control of the President, or the majority of Congress. If they were, I find it unlikely that the health care reform bill would have been passed.

[Jazzy Josh offline]

even though he's not much more than a puppet.

I'm going to be honest. I really don't like it when people refer to politicians as puppets. It strikes me as a naive, immature view on the political system, and a simplification that people use just because they don't like current policies.

I don't think Obama is a puppet, but I do think he is a cult of personality.

National healthcare is a step backwards. If Social Security and Medicare are broke (to a point where I extremely doubt that I'm going to see a penny of what I pay in to SS), what would adding more debt through costly procedures help.

Technically we don't have a right to healthcare. That being said, if you are about to die and there's a way to prevent it, I think that care should be administered. What I don't like is when people go to the emergency room because they don't want to go see a doctor. (Ex. A relative of mine had their copay for Emergency room care increased $150. It's now 4x the amount the copay was)

I'm sorta-kinda on the FairTax wagon. I think (at least after reading the book) that it makes sense and would bring in more revenue.

Now, I'm done rambling. I need to get to bed (Band Camp, YAY! Band Camp, BOO!)

[SilverPrince offline]

I don't think Obama is a puppet, but I do think he is a cult of personality.

Kim Jong-Il has a cult of personality. Barack Obama does not. If he did, there would be no criticism of him allowed in the national media. And I hear criticism of him on MSNBC of all places. If he did, school children would pledge allegiance to President Obama rather than to the flag. Every home would have a picture of him in the place of honor atop the mantel. And people who didn't comply would be taken away by the military. I don't think a true cult of personality can exist outside of a totalitarian regime. And there is absolutely no way that anyone could ever define the Obama Administration as such.

In regards to health care, I'd like to note that Americans pay more for health care services than do those citizens of other countries who pay for national health care via their taxes. Our healthcare system is one of the worst among wealthy, industrialized nations. I'm sorry my only link is Wikipedia. Really, I am. It's a horrible place to try to use as backup in an argument. But I'm too tired to find someplace reliable. I know it's got all the citations but that would take more energy than I feel like expending.

HOWEVER, this is all off-topic. And I'm certainly not helping- in fact, I'd say I'm one of the worst offenders. Shall we get back to the debt, then?

Lyoko is Cool, or anyone else for that matter, if health care is an issue you would really like to discuss in earnest, I recommend you make another thread, so we don't have to hijack this one.

[Rho offline]

Kim Jong-Il has a brain the size of a marble.

fixed

[Mewberries151]

In regards to health care, I'd like to note that Americans pay more for health care services than do those citizens of other countries who pay for national health care via their taxes.

Just to lead the Healthcare thing back into the National Debt topic...if we didn't have to pay so much on heath care services...wouldn't it make sense that we'd then use that money in more economy stimulating ways?

*is so not still bitter about the smear campaign run against the healthcare bill*

That probably would have eased the national debt a bit if people could spend their money a little more care-freely.

[JesusFreak offline]

In regards to health care, I'd like to note that Americans pay more for health care services than do those citizens of other countries who pay for national health care via their taxes.

Just to lead the Healthcare thing back into the National Debt topic...if we didn't have to pay so much on heath care services...wouldn't it make sense that we'd then use that money in more economy stimulating ways?
quote]


No. We would find an even more fantastic way to screw up.

[Mewberries151]

In regards to health care, I'd like to note that Americans pay more for health care services than do those citizens of other countries who pay for national health care via their taxes.

Just to lead the Healthcare thing back into the National Debt topic...if we didn't have to pay so much on heath care services...wouldn't it make sense that we'd then use that money in more economy stimulating ways?

No. We would find an even more fantastic way to screw up.

We, the People? Or "We" the corporations and lobbyists who really don't care about the larger part of the population beyond their money?

[green offline]

In regards to health care, I'd like to note that Americans pay more for health care services than do those citizens of other countries who pay for national health care via their taxes.

Just to lead the Healthcare thing back into the National Debt topic...if we didn't have to pay so much on heath care services...wouldn't it make sense that we'd then use that money in more economy stimulating ways?

No. We would find an even more fantastic way to screw up.

We, the People? Or "We" the corporations and lobbyists who really don't care about the larger part of the population beyond their money?

We the people seem to be growing dumber by the day. So not to speak for JesusFreak, but I'm gonna say both :/

[Mewberries151]

In regards to health care, I'd like to note that Americans pay more for health care services than do those citizens of other countries who pay for national health care via their taxes.

Just to lead the Healthcare thing back into the National Debt topic...if we didn't have to pay so much on heath care services...wouldn't it make sense that we'd then use that money in more economy stimulating ways?

No. We would find an even more fantastic way to screw up.

We, the People? Or "We" the corporations and lobbyists who really don't care about the larger part of the population beyond their money?

We the people seem to be growing dumber by the day. So not to speak for JesusFreak, but I'm gonna say both :/

*considers some of the patrons she encounters where she works*

....Yeah, I'd have to say "both" is fair. There are incredibly intelligent people out there with great ideas...both in the general public and in politics...but for some reason the stupid ones seem to drown them out. <_<;

[JesusFreak offline]

In regards to health care, I'd like to note that Americans pay more for health care services than do those citizens of other countries who pay for national health care via their taxes.

Just to lead the Healthcare thing back into the National Debt topic...if we didn't have to pay so much on heath care services...wouldn't it make sense that we'd then use that money in more economy stimulating ways?

No. We would find an even more fantastic way to screw up.

We, the People? Or "We" the corporations and lobbyists who really don't care about the larger part of the population beyond their money?

We the people seem to be growing dumber by the day. So not to speak for JesusFreak, but I'm gonna say both :/

*considers some of the patrons she encounters where she works*

....Yeah, I'd have to say "both" is fair. There are incredibly intelligent people out there with great ideas...both in the general public and in politics...but for some reason the stupid ones seem to drown them out. <_<;

Nobody's a genius inquite the same way. Alber Einstien couldn't even remember his own phone number, for example. Everyone is stupid at something. However, people are usually only geniuses at one or two things. As a result, idiocy tends to get a larger vote than intellect.


Sometimes.