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- - We don't have a revenue problem, ... (http://www.politicalchat.org/showthread.php?t=2582)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast_Eddie (Post 62161)

This is all way off the mark. That's not what it is at all. It's not a job and spending thing. It's a buying and paying for it thing. We (American voters) walked up to the counter and said "I'll take a Social Security, a Medicare, a Medicaid, aaaaannnd, let's seee- how 'bout a side order of wars in the middle-east". Then the kid at the counter said "Oooookay. That'll be $100 Billion." And we refused to pay.

During this last election, a majority of Americans walked up the the customer service counter and asked to return a number of items, but found out that the customer service counter was closed.

Perhaps our federal employees should work harder (taps nose).

Perhaps I can force a raise at the barrel of a gun.

Pete

You are very accurate here BlueStreak:

Quote:

Bingo! The "free traders" who thought we were going to maintain our largess off of revenues generated by a "service economy" are the true jesters in the court of American economics/politics. That, and I seem to recall being told "Everything is going high tech. No more high paying manufacturing jobs." a few decades ago as well. How's that working out?

Little manufacturing = Little prosperity. Low wages = Poor consumerism.

Except that with or with-out free-traders, MOST of those manufacturing jobs were just inevitably going offshore. This was trend since I was a pup listening to cheap Japanese audio. What SHOULD be done is to make most of that labor irrelevent. By encouraging 21st century manufacturing research and develop HERE in the USA. For the most part, we COULD take back a lot of middle class jobs even in automated factories.

And remember that the pressure is on ALL stratas of the workforce. Lower rank contends with illegal immigration, middle ranks have to compete with offshore labor, and the upper ranks are now being infiltrated by foreign college students "taking the courses that American kids just won't take" and getting H1B Visas to stay and work. Even doctors are not immune to global labor competition.

So -- I don't want to spend a lot of time blaming the morons who pushed the service economy. And the free-traders (like me) more accurately say.... "The work will be performed at the most effective level." We haven't even begun to design effective manufacturing systems. Look at stuff like IBM's Watson and how knowledge systems like that would change the whole corporate profile.

So we have to do what we can do best given that the assembly line model is gone. And that is gonna take a commitment to higher, smartter education and a govt that doesn't put too many barriers in the way of starting capital ventures. So that we can design truly innovative automation and new models of manufacturing and distribution of goods..

BTW: Besides, the wars and the downturn in the economy, REVENUES are being killed by the fact that SocSec and Medicare are going negative in income from payroll much sooner than expected. Wasn't too long ago that the CongressCritters could count on STEALING 300 or 350 BILLION dollars from peoples' paychecks in excess FICA payments. That's largely a REVENUE issue if you're the one doing the stealing.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by whell (Post 62165)

During this last election, a majority of Americans walked up the the customer service counter and asked to return a number of items, but found out that the customer service counter was closed.

Like hell. Tea Hatters thought cutting everything was a great idea until the people the elected tried to do it. Now they're getting an earfull. I'm thinking that sign I posted on the last page may be more the rule than the exception. They only want to cut welfare and benefits for illegals. They didn't know they were voting to take Dad's Social Security and Grammy's Medicare. They're not so keen on that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast_Eddie (Post 62184)

I dunno about that. The right keeps pushing the issue.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...74453D20110505

Quote:

Originally Posted by piece-itpete (Post 62148)

So, I don't have a spending problem, I have a revenue problem. Who will give me more money?

Pete

.....well, here's a copy & paste that tells you who FOR SURE won't give you a dime.....

Profits At Largest 500 Corps Grew By 81% In 2010

Under a Socialist?????????????

One of the dominating justifications that the right uses for its economic policies is that lowering taxes and regulations on society’s wealthiest members and big businesses will cause an explosion of wealth that will eventually “trickle down” to the vast majority of Americans. Yet while a record number of Americans are receiving some form of government assistance as unemployment remains high and the economy is in shambles, one group is doing very well: corporate America. The 2011 Fortune 500 list was unveiled today, surveying the growth and profits of the nation’s largest 500 corporations. It found that the profits of these companies “soared 81″ percent over the past year, causing the editors of Fortune to say that “we’ve rarely seen such a stark gulf between the fortunes of the 500 and those of ordinary Americans”:

All told, the Fortune 500 generated nearly $10.8 trillion in total revenues last year, up 10.5%. Total profits soared 81%. But guess who didn’t benefit much from this giant wave of cash? Millions of U.S. workers stuck mired in a stagnant job market. [...] Nevertheless, we’ve rarely seen such a stark gulf between the fortunes of the 500 and those of ordinary Americans.

At the same time, corporate tax revenue as a percentage of GDP is lower than it has been in years, meaning that not only is the wealth not trickling down, but that these big firms are also becoming less and less likely to pay their fair share.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flacaltenn (Post 62167)

You are very accurate here BlueStreak:

Except that with or with-out free-traders, MOST of those manufacturing jobs were just inevitably going offshore. This was trend since I was a pup listening to cheap Japanese audio. What SHOULD be done is to make most of that labor irrelevent. By encouraging 21st century manufacturing research and develop HERE in the USA. For the most part, we COULD take back a lot of middle class jobs even in automated factories.

And remember that the pressure is on ALL stratas of the workforce. Lower rank contends with illegal immigration, middle ranks have to compete with offshore labor, and the upper ranks are now being infiltrated by foreign college students "taking the courses that American kids just won't take" and getting H1B Visas to stay and work. Even doctors are not immune to global labor competition.

So -- I don't want to spend a lot of time blaming the morons who pushed the service economy. And the free-traders (like me) more accurately say.... "The work will be performed at the most effective level." We haven't even begun to design effective manufacturing systems. Look at stuff like IBM's Watson and how knowledge systems like that would change the whole corporate profile.

So we have to do what we can do best given that the assembly line model is gone. And that is gonna take a commitment to higher, smartter education and a govt that doesn't put too many barriers in the way of starting capital ventures. So that we can design truly innovative automation and new models of manufacturing and distribution of goods..

BTW: Besides, the wars and the downturn in the economy, REVENUES are being killed by the fact that SocSec and Medicare are going negative in income from payroll much sooner than expected. Wasn't too long ago that the CongressCritters could count on STEALING 300 or 350 BILLION dollars from peoples' paychecks in excess FICA payments. That's largely a REVENUE issue if you're the one doing the stealing.....

Do you now, or have you ever worked in manufacturing? I have, almost my entire life. Save for my time in the Navy. And, I come from a family of factory workers, management, engineering and blue collar.

From what I've seen, incompetent management kills a factory quicker than any politician could dream of. Even the high tech, world class type of factory. Put a dumbass in the plant managers office and kiss it goodbye. Jimmy Hoffa couldn't kill productivity with such lightning speed. And it usually starts with "cost cutting", yessiree..........

And there is a universe of "other people" to be blamed when it happens.:rolleyes:

Dave

It found that the profits of these companies “soared 81″ percent over the past year, causing the editors of Fortune to say that “we’ve rarely seen such a stark gulf between the fortunes of the 500 and those of ordinary Americans”:

This is a comment from that bastion of capitalism, Fortune 500? :confused::eek:

It appears that the income chasm has grown so large that it is no longer just a lefty issue.

Regards,

D-Ray

Mule, everything I've got came from me/my employer. Since I've been in the workforce (right out of HS) the government has done nothing but increase withholding.

Pete

Quote:

Originally Posted by piece-itpete (Post 62200)

Mule, everything I've got came from me/my employer. Since I've been in the workforce (right out of HS) the government has done nothing but increase withholding.

Pete

And shot Bin Laden. :cool:

And expanded and maintained an interstate highway system for you to cruise on; and provided a pool of unemployment resources should you become one of the unlucky unemployed; and provided disaster relief for your neighbors; and provided a justice system that avoids anarchy; and provided you cleaner air and water; and provided you with a safer supply of food; and don't forget about Al Gore inventing the internet :rolleyes:; kept the airwaves from becoming a cacophony (I'll leave it to your judgment whether you think that would be better than the crap that comes over them now); and provided safe shipping routes so that your employer or the people you do business with can engage in international trade; or provided a weather information system that helps lessen the impact of natural disasters; and on and on and on.

Regards,

D-Ray