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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (118369)	6/6/2005 3:49:42 AM
From: KLP	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 794268

Well, will John Kerry look even more stupid tomorrow when he finally shows up at the Senate with this? The Downing Street memo – top secret no more Aljazeera.com, UK - 21 hours ago The Downing Street memo caused a major uproar when it was published on the eve of Britain's general election. Some experts believe ... Secret no more: Downing Street memo Collective Bellaciao all 2 related » John Kerry Reportedly To Present "Downing Street Memo" To Congress All Headline News - 20 hours ago John Kerry of Massachusetts is reportedly planning to to present Congress with The Downing Street Memo, reported last month by the London Times. ... What’s Up With the Downing Street Memo? The Signal From Watergate to Downing Street -- Lying for War Dissident Voice Memo: War justification untenable Sarasota Herald-Tribune all 5 related » CTV Bolton incident reinforces the Downing Street Memo BTC News - Jun 4, 2005 ... The July 2002 Downing Street meeting, with its damning minutes, came hard on the heels of Bolton’s successful effort to remove Bustani from his position and ... AP Probe on Bolton Finds Disturbing Links to Iraq War Editor & Publisher all 132 related » Protest outside TV studio draws attention to Downing Street Memo ... Collective Bellaciao, France - Jun 3, 2005 ... They were there because of what has become known as the "Downing Street Memo," minutes from a meeting between Prime Minister Tony Blair and his top advisers on ... Memo to Mainstream Media Collective Bellaciao all 2 related » A brief note about the Downing Street Memo BTC News - Jun 2, 2005 A number of people have strongly urged BTC News to stop referring to the Downing Street Memo — which consists of minutes from a meeting during which British ... Kerry Going After Bush on Downing Street Memo Watching the Watchers.org - Jun 3, 2005 ... The Downing Street memo is the “smoking gun” that proves Bush didn’t make a mistake, he deliberately lied to the American people, forming intelligence ... The Downing Street Memo And Impeachment Get A Fair Hearing News Hounds, CA - Jun 3, 2005 Last night, Alan Colmes discussed the Downing Street Memo and impeachment for at least the second time on his radio show. It's not ... Kerry to bring issue of Downing Street Minutes/Memo to Senate Collective Bellaciao, France - Jun 2, 2005 ... puzzled over the apparent lack of interest by Americans in the Iraq war and the near silence in the US mass media about the so-called Downing Street Memo. ... From Watergate to the Downing Street Memo When Presidents Lie uruknet.info, Italy - Jun 2, 2005 ... The memo was written a full eight months before the US led invasion in Iraq by Matthew Rycroft, a British national security official, based on notes he took ... Downing Street Memo Mostly Ignored in US FOX News - May 31, 2005 ... The "Downing Street Memo" — first published by The Sunday Times of London on May 1 — summarizes a high-level meeting between Prime Minister Tony Blair ...

To: greenspirit who wrote (118369)	6/6/2005 8:39:16 AM
From: unclewest	Respond to of 794268

Check out this chart. It challenges some of the assumptions the author has. heritage.org; I think the most important thing about that chart is it proves that a lower tax rate increased taxes, if only slightly. I'm sure there is a limit to that. It does not appear to have been exceeded.

To: greenspirit who wrote (118369)	6/6/2005 9:59:48 AM
From: carranza2	Respond to of 794268

I'm not so sure about the chart. First, it shows very high top rates during the 50s, 60s and 70s but it doesn't take into account the fact that when rates were lowered during the 80s and 90s, a lot of tax-dodges and other tax reduction vehicles which were used to make the top rates a joke were eliminated. Remember the non-mortgage interest deduction? Accelerated depreciation, ditto. Gone the way of the dodo. The Alternative Minimum Tax was also enacted. So, yes, tax rates were lowered, but tax collection was at the same time made more stringent. Fewer loopholes allowed. Second, the truly relevant statistic is not part of the chart, i.e., the relationship between tax collections, federal expenditures, and the resulting budget deficit. The gap between the collections and expenditures is presently huge and, thanks to tax policy enacted before and after 9/11 and Iraq, the gap is going to get even bigger. Even if one assumes that a tax increase is for the reasons you mention not part of the solution to the inevitable debacle we will face in a few years, a point I think is doubtful, the question remains--what to do when it is time to pay the piper for the budget deficits and the failure to save? Something has to give, the real estate bubble cannot continue to indefinitely fund consumption. Other nations cannot continue to indefinitely finance our budget deficits. Our government cannot continue to spend money like a drunken sailor. In my view, there is a perfect storm brewing. Terrorism, the price and availability of oil, budget deficits, the inevitably deflated real estate bubble, and the failure of Americans to save are a witch's brew we will some day have to swallow. The only question for me is how to best prepare for the arrival of the storm. There is still time, and it is possible to actually come out very well when it inevitably hits the fan. Maybe I'll start specializing in bankruptcy law.