Obama's Plan...."yes we can"...but how do we pay for it?

[Army_of_One]

I have yet to get excited about the "yes we can man" Bo. He has all these ideas and I'm scratching my head wondering where the money will come from. I figured I would turn to some of the intelligent, well informed people of the DB that support the "yes we can" man to help me out.

Some of BO's proposals include:

*Universal health care coverage
*Lower insurance premiums for all families
*Subsidized premiums for those who can't afford them
*Tax cuts for Americans that make less than a certain amount
*Increasing the minimum wage
*$4000 tuition credit for EVERY student
*Helping out people who have made bad choices and are in foreclosure
*Fixing the infrastructure of America

This is what I found...

The federal budget deficit is projected to exceed $400 billion next year. Deficits are paid for by borrowing. The gross federal debt, the sum of what our government owes, is in the neighborhood of $9 trillion.

That means there's less room to borrow to deal with the growing budget pressure as boomers retire.

By 2017, Social Security is expected to begin paying more out in benefits to retirees than it collects from workers. And the number of Medicare recipients will grow from 44 million last year to 58 million over the next decade.

Increased spending on health and welfare programs for the boomers will start to crowd out other federal spending. That's why the two Democrats' mounting campaign promises raise concern among budget experts, who aren't hearing much about where the money would come from.

Also....

To pay for it, he cited without specifics higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations, billions of dollars from "polluters" to pay for alternative energy and ending the Iraq war, which is costing an estimated $9 billion a month.

"We can invest that money in rebuilding roads and bridges and hospitals right here in Houston — building schools, laying broadband lines, putting people back to work, employing young men and women in our inner cities, in our rural communities," he said to cheers.

That $9 billion in war spending, however, is largely borrowed money, much of it from China and Japan. If Obama intends to redirect war spending to domestic needs, it still would be deficit spending.

Some of these idea's are actually good. I believe our infrastructure needs fixing. What I couldn't find is any of them promising tighter border security. At any rate how do ya'll think we will pay for these things or do you think they will never come to fruition?

[88-31-10]

He can get it (money) the same place Bush got it.

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by 88-31-10

He can get it (money) the same place Bush got it.

But aren't the Dems bashing Bush on his spending?

[88-31-10]

Originally Posted by Army_of_One

But aren't the Dems bashing Bush on his spending?

They ought to be bashing him for spending, the economy, the war on terror, broken political promises, etc.

[Highwayman]

Originally Posted by Army_of_One

But aren't the Dems bashing Bush on his spending?

They bash Bush for waking up in the morning. Of course they complain about spending, unless they’re doing it.

I’m not worried about BO finding a few bucks. He seems to have a knack of it.

Mansion 'mistake' piles the pressure on Barack Obama - Times Online

[TexKan]

That's just such old news - he'll find the money when he reduces the need for money for the war a little at a time , and cuts out the tax loops for lobbyists, corporate, and the wealthy. You guys aren't listening to what he's saying. He doesn't promise to "do" these things, he promises to help us work on the issues to get them solved. There's a big difference.

You need to listen to what he's actually saying. If you were you would know that he doesn't promise to find all the money - he asks that you help him find it too when you cast future votes for your local politics. Ya know I figured if I could get a grasp of his message certainly the fine political minds around here already know the answer to their probing questions.

My question is why would you want to continue to spend money our grandchildren don't have to fund another country instead of trying to help our own as well? He wants to be global but he wants the US to be taken care of too. Is that really such a bad idea that we actually help our US citizens first?

Actually suggesting to be a vessel of moving in a postitve direction in a postive way sure sounds rather refreshing to me.

[SGT T.]

Hey, here's something to consider. BO is going to say whatever it takes to get elected. Just like HC, or JM, or even MH. No sense planning on how he's going to pay for things that just flat are not going to happen. He might as well have said he's going to wipe out hunger and disease, find a cure for cancer, and make sea water a fuel source.
Wouldn't it be great if he (or any of them) would just tell the truth? Ah, politics. Its like a teenager trying to talk a prom date out of her pants. Starts out innocent enough, but in the end, someones getting screwed.

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by SGT T.

Hey, here's something to consider. BO is going to say whatever it takes to get elected. Just like HC, or JM, or even MH. No sense planning on how he's going to pay for things that just flat are not going to happen. He might as well have said he's going to wipe out hunger and disease, find a cure for cancer, and make sea water a fuel source.
Wouldn't it be great if he (or any of them) would just tell the truth? Ah, politics. Its like a teenager trying to talk a prom date out of her pants. Starts out innocent enough, but in the end, someones getting screwed.

Yeah...the U.S. Tax payer. He's talking about spending and ADDITIONAL 210 Billion dollars on his "plans". We spend about 9 billion a day in Iraq and like I said before that is money that's borrowed so by leaving Iraq we won't be saving any money. I'm still wondering where the ADDITIONAL 210 Billion dollars will come from....

[Bubba]

still not listening (or reading)

[Highwayman]

Originally Posted by TexKan

That's just such old news - he'll find the money when he reduces the need for money for the war a little at a time , and cuts out the tax loops for lobbyists, corporate, and the wealthy. You guys aren't listening to what he's saying.....

I’m listening. I’m also paying attention to what they’re doing.

WASHINGTON — Both Democratic presidential candidates, who promise to curb the influence of corporate lobbyists in Washington, helped enact narrowly tailored tax breaks sought by major campaign contributors.

Dem hopefuls won tax breaks for contributors - USATODAY.com