FrumCA

Hmmm. Unsustainable. Agree??
http://m.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/what-shutdown-means-63b-spent-26b-taxed-16b-borrowed-1b-paid-salaries

Jakebrake Loc: Broomfield, Colorado

Why am I not surprised. Considering obama's lack of honesty and character this was to be expected. :thumbdown:

sr71 Loc: In Col. Juan Seguin Land

yep play the blame game... as if he is the ONLY one that is causing or have caused the problems we face....... Yep He Did It... all of it..... This is the reason why it will never get fixed.....

Schwabo Loc: Florida

no he is not to blame, it is the fault of all Presidents before him.

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

He was before him. LOL

Captryan Loc: Massachusetts

It's the fault of ALL politicians in Washington, they ALL put their own personal interests ahead of the country's. Term limits is the only way to save the country.

amyinsparta Loc: White county, TN

I don't think that is the basic problem. We would still elect those who go along with our basic fears and loathings, just as we do now. We are a country divided over many, many issues. Until,unless we the people can come to some common ground, then we will continue to elect those that think like we do and so stay divided. And division is a powerful tool for those who use it for their own purposes. "Divide and conquer" is not just a phrase. Someone will benefit greatly from it when the dust settles. And that someone may not be what/what we had in mind.

When/if a powerful group with a powerful leader accomplishes this, it will not be pretty. See the Roman Caesars, Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, Pol Pot, and many others who used this tactic. So if we don't wise up and understand that ALL people need to be considered worthy of respect and help in times of need, then we basically are doomed. A house divided CANNOT stand.

As long as we think our way is the only way and should be the law of the land; as long as we refuse to entertain any other opinions; as long as we feel superior to others because they have the 'wrong' thinking, the 'wrong' lifestyle, the 'wrong' color, the 'wrong' whatever else, then we basically are doomed to continually warfare amongst ourselves.

Schwabo Loc: Florida

Ditto, brilliant.

sr71 Loc: In Col. Juan Seguin Land

Ditto agree,,,

:mrgreen: :mrgreen:

KW Conch Loc: USA

From Forbes Magazine:

The Best Kept Secret In American Politics-Federal Budget Deficits Are Actually Shrinking!


Bloomberg News is out with a new poll that reveals an amazing piece of data.

Here is the question that was asked in the survey-

“Let’s turn to the federal budget deficit. This is the amount the government spends that is more than the amount it takes in from taxes and other revenue. Is it your sense that this year the deficit is getting bigger or getting smaller, or is it staying about the same as last year?”

The results?
Who Is The Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower? Would You Believe It's Barack Obama?

(a) Sixty-two percent of Americans believe the deficit is getting bigger this year,

(b) twenty-eight percent believe the deficit will remain about the same; and

(c) six percent believe the deficit will shrink

What is the right answer?

If you guessed (c) in the belief that the deficit has shrunk this year, you are one of the six percent who got the answer correct.

The facts?

Over the first four years of the Obama presidency, the deficit shrunk by a total of $300 billion dollars. That is not the national debt- it is the amount of money we spend each year relative to the amount we take in. And while this improving deficit picture is not what those who believe in a balanced budget would be looking for, it is a shrinking deficit just the same.

Find this difficult to believe?

According to the latest CBO report,

“Compared to the size of the economy, the deficit in 2013 is much lower than in 2009, when Obama took office. The deficit will be 5.3 percent of gross domestic product this year, nearly half the 10.1 percent of GDP in 2009.”

The improvement in the deficit as measured against GDP is the direct result of the deficit falling to $845 billion for fiscal year 2013—a $300 billion improvement over the previous year. And the positive trend is projected to continue though the next fiscal year where the the annual budgetary deficit will fall again to $430 billion.

While these deficit numbers are, without question, a legitimate improvement, they are deficits none the less— which means the nation’s debt continues to grow. What’s more, the CBO projects that the good news will—if we remain on our current trajectory—turn negative in fiscal year 2015 and begin climbing once again unless we do something to cut spending, increase revenues or find some combination of the two.

What is important in the poll is the revelation that so many Americans are completely in the dark when it comes to the real numbers.

While there is much to discuss in the debate over deficits and the ongoing debt, that discussion can only take place in an intelligent and meaningful way if Americans actually understand the numbers and engage in the debate based on actual facts rather than emotional conjecture.
_______

KW Conch Loc: USA

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

bonjac Loc: Santa Ynez, CA 93460

As i understand it, when Congress authorizes budgets, deficits are built in. Congress knows full well that tax and other revenues are not sufficient to pay for everything it has approved. Borrowing is implicit in the approval with an upper limit set by the debt ceiling. So, if revenues fall below what was anticipated then borrowing has to be increased to make up the difference which may require the Congress to raise the debt ceiling higher than what was believed satisfactory. My long winded point here is that quote of then Senator Obama may have been more directed at trying to get our spending in line with our revenues than with debt ceiling itself. If Congress wants to sustain the level of spending they have been approving, then they either raise taxes or borrowing. IMHO