Medical costs

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Where are these true fiscal conservatives?

Gone. They have been for decades. At least from the Republican Party.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Gone. They have been for decades. At least from the Republican Party.

They certainly are not in the Democratic Party either.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

They certainly are not in the Democratic Party either.

Well, the Democratic Party in the not too distant past had a President who not only understood how to balance a budget but who actually did it. Can Republicans say the same? Yeah, I didn't think so.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Tax and spend is not fiscal responsibility.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Tell that to Obama.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Tax and spend is not fiscal responsibility.

It's more fiscally responsible than the Republican borrow and spend that quadrupled the national debt in the 12 years preceding his Presidency and then doubled it in the 8 years following it. I know Republicans hate science like they hate the devil but they would be well advised entertaining at least some basic 3rd grade math.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Mr. Big Dog

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Oops! I replied too fast. Hurry up, Dog!

Edited September 13, 2012 by The Patriot

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Where are these true fiscal conservatives?

I wish I knew

[james&olya 1,121]

I wish I knew

Eventually some of the more intelligent of those on the right are going to begin to realize that an honest debate over the issue of taxes, spending, the military, health care and retirement security will lead to a conclusion that unless the voting population really wants a radically different country, taxes WILL have to go UP! And unless you are a radical, as opposed to a conservative, right-winger, you will eventually advocate taxes being higher on the higher income earners in this country!

[Neonred 3,648]

Eventually some of the more intelligent of those on the right are going to begin to realize that an honest debate over the issue of taxes, spending, the military, health care and retirement security will lead to a conclusion that unless the voting population really wants a radically different country, taxes WILL have to go UP! And unless you are a radical, as opposed to a conservative, right-winger, you will eventually advocate taxes being higher on the higher income earners in this country!

What, no mention of spending control?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What, no mention of spending control?

There is no dissent that spending needs to come down. There is dissent perhaps as to what spending needs to come down and to what degree in what timeframes. But that spending cannot continue on its current path is not something that is subject to any debate. There's broad consensus on that point.

What is subject to debate is the other side of the equation. There are those that know math saying that taxes cannot continue at their historic low levels if this country's finances are to be brought into balance. And then there are those that believe they can defy math that say that taxes need to be reduced down even further in order to balance the budget. We've had the latter school of thought quadruple the national debt from 1981 - 1993 and then double it again from 2001 - 2009.

The question now is whether we double down on what hasn't worked in these two time periods or if we are going to pursue a math based path which worked quite well in between.