Admit it: TARP worked

[Lemur]

Well anyone tasked with getting the USA finances in order should want to raise taxes.

And slash entitlements. Nothing less will bring fiscal sanity. But I despair at seeing that combination anytime soon. Ideal lemur solution: radically simplify tax code, cut marginal rates a bit, eliminate every deduction (yes, including mortgage, charity, etc.), raise retirement age, institute public opt-in healthcare to drive down hleathcare insurance costs system-wide, and watch the books balance themselves. Oh, and eliminate Medicare Part D, the most financially irresponsible legislation in my lifetime.

[Ice]

And slash entitlements. Nothing less will bring fiscal sanity. But I despair at seeing that combination anytime soon. Ideal lemur solution: radically simplify tax code cut marginal rates a bit, eliminate every deduction (yes, including mortgage, charity, etc.), raise retirement age, institute public opt-in healthcare to drive down hleathcare insurance costs system-wide, and watch the books balance themselves. Oh, and eliminate Medicare Part D, the most financially irresponsible legislation in my lifetime.

-Tax code won't be simplified nor deductions eliminated. There are far too many special interests influencing this.
-Raising the retirement age is an excellent idea. I love my grandfather to death, but retiring at 62 and living till your 80s (85 currently) without working simply doesn't work and bankrupts this nation
-How would this work? I'm not doubting you but I'd be interested in hearing more. The sad part is even if such a thing is a feasible, the right wing will always bring stupid things like death panels and "Obamacare" nonsense up.
-After briefly looking up what Part D was, how exactly are you going to provide prescription medication for eldery people that can't afford it? Using my family as an example again, my grandmother takes many different prescriptions that she could not afford without government assistance. How exactly will she still recieve her medication? "Let her die" is an acceptable answer... I'm just wondering where you are going with the whole thing.

[rory_20_uk]

Funny thing about death panels is that some of the earliest were in the USA regarding who received dialysis as there were a handful of machines.

Concerning prescriptions, there are often several options for any given condition, and some work better than others - usually the newer ones are better.
The price differential between older generic ones and the newest ones can be at least 1,000% if not vastly more. Do they work this much better? Not by any stretch.
Is it the case in the USA that medicare is based on cheaper generics, or full cost treatment for everything?

[Hosakawa Tito]

And slash entitlements. Nothing less will bring fiscal sanity. But I despair at seeing that combination anytime soon. Ideal lemur solution: radically simplify tax code, cut marginal rates a bit, eliminate every deduction (yes, including mortgage, charity, etc.), raise retirement age, institute public opt-in healthcare to drive down hleathcare insurance costs system-wide, and watch the books balance themselves. Oh, and eliminate Medicare Part D, the most financially irresponsible legislation in my lifetime.

8-14-23 or Fight!Broaden the tax-base, lower the rates, slash entitlements and deductions. With lower rates the mortgage deduction wouldn't be missed, the problem is selling this to the taxpayers. Special interests & the Drive By Media will whip up fear mongering to new levels.

The chart illustrates the rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul reality of our current "system." If you want to retain favored tax breaks, like the personal exemption or earned- income tax credit, everyone's rates have to rise to make up for those "breaks." Subtract the breaks, and rates can fall. That's the devil's bargain the U.S. has made for decades. The tax system we have is anti-economic. The IRS code is best understood as a political document.

Time for some fiscal sanity, however it may take until Obama is voted out in 2012 before it can begin.

[Lemur]

Time for some fiscal sanity, however it may take until Obama is voted out in 2012 before it can begin.

Honestly Hosa, if you think Obama is the biggest stumbling block between the U.S.A. and fiscal sanity, you're not paying attention. Did Obama sign Medicare D into law? Did Obama launch two wars paid for entirely with credit cards? Did Obama say "deficits don't matter"? I mean, really. Come on.

[Hosakawa Tito]

Honestly Hosa, if you think Obama is the biggest stumbling block between the U.S.A. and fiscal sanity, you're not paying attention. Did Obama sign Medicare D into law? Did Obama launch two wars paid for entirely with credit cards? Did Obama say "deficits don't matter"? I mean, really. Come on.

Which is why Republicans better pay attention to the fiscally conservative policy issues of the Tea Party movement, this isn't some fad. Republicans didn't win this last election, the Democrats got fired. Both party's are guilty of fiscal irresponsibility and they better stop kicking the can down the road and do something about it.

[HoreTore]

Which is why Republicans better pay attention to the fiscally conservative policy issues of the Tea Party movement, this isn't some fad. Republicans didn't win this last election, the Democrats got fired. Both party's are guilty of fiscal irresponsibility and they better stop kicking the can down the road and do something about it.

Fiscally responsible? The tea party? Are we talking about the same group?

Because the ta party I know are in full support of the current two wars and I doubt they'd have much of a problem with a third...