Why Obama Should Not Be the Next President of USA

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Without looking at the website:
-Fixing NCLB and rewarding teachers on a merit-based system.
-Ending the war in Iraq.
-Focus on the war in Afghanistan and on finishing it.
-No censorship on cable but an call for advertisements to be shown appropriately and for parents to take responsibility.
-Keep religion out of policies and laws.
-Repeal Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy and lower taxes for the middle class.
-Have an optional health care plan available for everyone that equals the congressional health plan and for those who wish to keep private insurance, lower premiums and costs. (Note: Children would be required to have insurance either private or public, adults would not.)
-Refocus the health care system on prevention, not treatment.
-Increased grants, scholarships, loans for college students with the requirement of some sort of public service in return.
-Stop torturing prisoners.
-Reduce our dependence on foreign oil and reduce emissions.
-Take the money we're spending in Iraq and invest in the infrastructure of our country.
-Consider how to address Social Security by raising the cap on the amount paid in for those with an income over $200,000 (proposed only)

-Work rationally to accomplish these things. This means working with Republicans not alienating them. It may mean sacrificing a "perfect" solution to get to one that will pass.

So like was posited earlier . . . liberal spending?

Doesn't every one of these things cost additional money that does not currently exist in the budget? We were over budget before Iraq, so that simply cannot be the source of the money - plus, it will still cost money to pull out (insert abortion joke here?) . . . that was the original crack.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

So like was posited earlier . . . liberal spending?

Doesn't every one of these things cost additional money that does not currently exist in the budget? We were over budget before Iraq, so that simply cannot be the source of the money - plus, it will still cost money to pull out (insert abortion joke here?) . . . that was the original crack.

Eh, more money comes in for SS and I believe more money in taxes.

But half that stuff doesn't involve spending more so that's really a false summary. I don't think day one he's going to stop paying money into Iraq but post-withdrawal there will indeed be funds available.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Eh, more money comes in for SS and I believe more money in taxes.

This is an incredibly specious answer, but I'm sure you know that - and I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I think the concern is more valid than most Obama supporters are admitting.

Obama is not exactly proposing spending cuts, except in Iraq, which is all deficit spending to start! (IIRC, obv)

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

This is an incredibly specious answer, but I'm sure you know that - and I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I think the concern is more valid than most Obama supporters are admitting.

Obama is not exactly proposing spending cuts, except in Iraq, which is all deficit spending to start! (IIRC, obv)

Yeah but I'm not an economist so it's a big bunch of not my job to some extent.

Though I'd love to see a balanced budget I really don't think anyone could do it these days. Once you feed a bureaucracy money, it only grows bigger and far too many presidents have done so for far too long. Maybe NASA needs to sell more space tourist rides or something. Plus if the federal government stops spending, a lot of states are going to be in trouble. They rely on federal matching funds for nearly all basic functions from education to interstate repair to medicaid/medicare.

[bluefish81]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Yeah but I'm not an economist so it's a big bunch of not my job to some extent.

Though I'd love to see a balanced budget I really don't think anyone could do it these days. Once you feed a bureaucracy money, it only grows bigger and far too many presidents have done so for far too long. Maybe NASA needs to sell more space tourist rides or something. Plus if the federal government stops spending, a lot of states are going to be in trouble. They rely on federal matching funds for nearly all basic functions from education to interstate repair to medicaid/medicare.

It has been that long since we had a balanced budget. Well, 2000.

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLI...inton.surplus/

[Drolefille]

Booming economy vs. our current not quite a recession yet we hope one?

It was also a GOP Congress with a Democratic president meaning nothing that either of them wanted was really getting done. And no war in Afghanistan or Iraq.

Balancing the budget is easy, raise taxes.

[shinerbock]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Balancing the budget is easy, raise taxes.

Yes, this always pulls up a struggling economy.