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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bearcatbob who wrote (60062)	4/19/2008 4:52:26 PM
From: Katelew	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 543108

Bob, the problem as I understand it is that only 18% of the budget is discretionary. The rest is committed to interest on the debt (20% now) and entitlements and military related components....with some of these areas overlapping. Whole departments, like commerce, transportation, etc. could be eliminated and not make much difference. Eliminate earmarks? Yes, but it's a drop in the bucket. I don't think we can 'cut' our way into solvency. For example, to remain solvent Medicare benefits need to be cut by 51%. For retired people to pick up the difference would impact the economy hugely. I have, however, seen some really interesting projections on how much could be done by tackling Medicare fraud, tax evasion and military procurements. But you have to have someone interested in these things. No one in the Bush admin. has made these kinds of efforts, including McCain. I don't recall him piping up except about earmarks. As for Barrack, he is 'promising' much more than I like. All I can do, though, is hope once in office reality sets in and he charts a different course. Do you have a problem with leaving Iraq and raising taxes on the top two brackets? Or do you think cutting can restore balance?

To: Bearcatbob who wrote (60062)	4/19/2008 7:35:10 PM
From: KyrosL	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 543108

Bob, I don't feel comfortable with Barack's spending plans. But at least he says he is getting out of Iraq (that's $100 Billion a year) and he is increasing some taxes too (that's another $200 billion give or take). His spending plans seem to be less than the savings and extra taxes so far. To tell you the truth, at one time I was leaning toward McCain. I loved his principled stand against pork barrel spending and against ethanol. But lately he seems to be morphing into a Bush clone.