So you think Ted Cruz is crazy...

The point is not to ignore our debt service obligations. The point is to quit adding to our debt service obligations. Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

so Einstein, how do we repay China ? Do you have any idea what the daily interest on our debt to them really is?

sure you don't, nevermind.

http://www.politifact.com/virginia/s...illion-day-de/

I suppose you and your libertarian asshat pals can pass the hat huh?

CJ I did answer your question but you just dismissed it as a right wing talking point. With the exception of 2 or 3 fiscal years ever since the FDR administration has this country ever run a surplus. That means tax revenues exceed current fiscal year expenditures. For 77 out of the last 80 years we have been running this country on borrowed money. The entire GDP of the US in 2012 was just under 15 trillion so we are already over 100% leveraged and that is only the explicit obligations. There is another 51 trillion in unrecognized obligations that aren’t on the books. Why is it so difficult to understand that you can’t continuously spend more money than what you take in? Or make promises with money you don’t have? There comes a point when you have to pay the creditor/bondholder their principal back. You keep talking about real “world” economic issues, that is a real world economic issue but let’s just stick to real US economic issues since I don’t see any other country adding to our revenue shortfall or reducing our out of control spending habits!!

WTF, I agree with you that federal taxes are going to have to go up (currently on 51% of all working Americans actually pays any federal income tax) but not at the expense of increasing federal spending but rather to use that increase in revenue to extinguish existing debt. You want to reform SS & Medicare but aren’t those the same things that people have worked for and bought? Now you want to change the rules? That problem becomes solved anyway in 2037 when it becomes insolvent according to the CBO. Also worth mentioning is the fact that over 3 trillion in US debt is owned by the SS & Medicare trust funds. Since 2010 these trust funds are now paying out more than what is collected so the amount of government IOU’s currently being held by the trust fund will diminish (note to CJ, this is one of those bondholders who will require their principal back). Military spending has been reduced as a percentage of total federal expenditures. In 1960 it was 56%, 1970-44%, 1980-28%, 1990-27%, 2000-20% and in 2010-22%. I would agree we can reduce it down to 18-20% and still have a viable defense force. The total defense budget for fiscal year 2011 was 680 billion dollars, so we shave 4% off that and we save 27.2 billion. Here is better example for you to chew on, what would happen if we just totally eliminated the entire department of defense and saved that 680 billion? Answer, we still would have added to the national debt in amount of $900 billion.

Yussup I do have a great role model but it sure as hell ain’t a politician. He taught me how to stand on my own 2 feet, accept responsibility for the actions and maintain and constant work effort. Flew combat missions in 3 wars, retired with 2 pensions, put 4 kids through college and never asked for anything in return that wasn’t promised to him.

Yussup I do have a great role model but it sure as hell ain’t a politician. He taught me how to stand on my own 2 feet, accept responsibility for the actions and maintain and constant work effort. Flew combat missions in 3 wars, retired with 2 pensions, put 4 kids through college and never asked for anything in return that wasn’t promised to him. Originally Posted by SAUrbanAnimal

Good for you... That is YOUR American Experience and does not apply to all of us...

Like you I'm former military, self reliant and too stubborn and/or stupid to allow ANYONE or ANYTHING stop me from achieving my goals in this life but I also realize my success wouldn't have been possible if those around me didn't extend a helping hand when I was in need.

But I digress.

The budget crisis you're talking about can be easily solved with military budget cuts and tax hikes on those who can afford it. The problem is your party aggressively opposed the obvious solutions.

According to the CBO we're building & paying BILLIONS for weapon systems our military no longer wants or use.
We have multi-national corporations earning BILLIONS annually and pay NO TAXES on those earnings
If freedom aint free it seems they would want to contribute to the cause of keeping the cash cow alive...

without demand, supply soon becomes obsolete, unless you're a military contractor.

WTF, I agree with you that federal taxes are going to have to go up (currently on 51% of all working Americans actually pays any federal income tax) but not at the expense of increasing federal spending but rather to use that increase in revenue to extinguish existing debt. You want to reform SS & Medicare but aren’t those the same things that people have worked for and bought? Now you want to change the rules? . Originally Posted by SAUrbanAnimal

Yes you need to change the rules. People are living longer. You have to change the 'rules' from time to time. Any business that wants to stay afloat must change with the times.

We must tell grandma (and Pa) that she has not paid near enough into a system that she on one had wants from and on the other hand screams about shrinking.

See that is wtf is called Tea Party logic....REDUCE GOVERNMENT they cry in one breath. KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF MY MEDICARE is what they cry when in fact you try and actually reduce government!

We have a group of folks that can not do simple math.

You really need to hire someone to read and explain my posts to you. You obviously don't have the capacity to do it yourself.

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

There is nothing to explain. Basically you want to get rid of most of the government you do not agree with. Which is exactly what every Americans want. Some of us understand that to be an impossible position. So government is in fact an act of compromise or war.

It would be better for all if you hired somebody to write something intelligent for you so we all wouldn't have to scratch out heads at your gibberish.