US economy firing on all cylinders

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by Army of One

...and even more terrorists, al qada and taliban running around the world and maybe even another more devastating attack on the U.S. If it costs the lives of 3000 soldiers to ensure that your family and my family doesn't get blown up by a bomber walking into a Walmart

I'm usually with you Army, but the war in Iraq had/has nothing to do with AlQueda or the Taliban. I think that is what OOD was getting at, that the "war on terror" should have stayed focused on the terrorists in Afghanistan and the hunt for Osama instead of diverting the majority of troops to Iraq. We should have finished one war before starting another.

[Highwayman]

As for Iraq it should have been cleaned out the first time but Bush Sr. let the UN call that shot. It should have been done the first time Hussein threw out the weapons inspectors but opinion polls and focus groups called that shot.

BTW, did you happen to notice where Iran is at in relation to Iraq and Afghanistan?

[lurker]

Originally Posted by Highwayman

As for Iraq it should have been cleaned out the first time but Bush Sr. let the UN call that shot. It should have been done the first time Hussein threw out the weapons inspectors but opinion polls and focus groups called that shot.

BTW, did you happen to notice where Iran is at in relation to Iraq and Afghanistan?

And we all should have a strong desire to hold a boot to their necks.

[Army_of_One]

Hey...OOD...forgot to tell you... Welcome to the Dodge Board!!! Glad to have you here!!! It's good to have another viewpoint.

[Army_of_One]

Spending is going to be over the top when you have the things going on that we do....WAR, Natural Disasters...(u can't expect the roaches of New Orleans to pay their own way, they lived off of Gov't programs anyway...why should now be any different). These things run up the debt in a big way. BUT, it's better to be spending a lot of money and having the economy running strong that not spending anything and have the economy going in the tank. As long as we are fighting in Iraq there will be huge debt unless we just raise taxes and kill the economy.

[Outofdodge]

Originally Posted by Army_of_One

Hey...OOD...forgot to tell you... Welcome to the Dodge Board!!! Glad to have you here!!! It's good to have another viewpoint.

Thanks,

I did not enjoy living in Dodge, primarily because of where I am from and what I was used to. Plus my non-working non-family passion is trout fishing and rivers. But in the three years I was there I was blessed to meet many good people I still consider friends which is why I perused this and the old board. And what I really find strange after hating it so much, there are things I miss. I was coming back out this past fall for pheasant season and something came up and I really was disappointed.

Army you and I (hell me and most everyone else here) will disagree but I will never purposedly attack you personally.

[Outofdodge]

Originally Posted by Army_of_One

Spending is going to be over the top when you have the things going on that we do....WAR, Natural Disasters...(u can't expect the roaches of New Orleans to pay their own way, they lived off of Gov't programs anyway...why should now be any different). These things run up the debt in a big way. BUT, it's better to be spending a lot of money and having the economy running strong that not spending anything and have the economy going in the tank. As long as we are fighting in Iraq there will be huge debt unless we just raise taxes and kill the economy.

One could accept the increased spending if it was just New Orleans and even the Iraq thing (hell we're there now, fix the damn thing and get out). What people conviently forget is at some point those areas on the Gulf have to be rebuilt and it's going to require a whole lot of shingles, washers, and refrigerators among other things that will help drive an economy. Government spending and receiving is just an exponentially bigger example of one's household budget. If you keep borrowing to cover spending, there comes a point where you can't cover your debt payments and something will give. I think playing a game of russian roulette with a future generation's legacy is fools game.

Where I wish I could help you see the light on this tax thing is it is an either or type thing. Fine-cut taxes, but cut the spending too. You may want to believe that Clinton tax increases on the top rate were counterproductive, but for that period of time where revenues matched outflows, the government did not have to borrow as much which freed up capital in the private sector for expansion. This enables the middle class dude/dudette to take a risk and start his/her business. This was the Clinton legacy, not that bill gates and the like paid 30+% tax vis a vis 20+% now. When the Japanese made it official got this country really into WWII the nation went into a shared sacrifice mode, when 9/11 happened bush told us to go shopping.

As to roaches, in the early 70's my military father split and my mother was unable to hold things together. We became welfare and medicaid recipients. It took me a long time to overcome that, but through work and lots of luck I am in an entirely different situation. And it is not as simple as just getting a job, believe me. You're somewhat right about some pockets of the population in New Orleans but look around in every town and state you will find them. . What you won't find is their houses and way of life, however shape it is, destroyed by a national disaster. Do I think the government of LA is blameless in this? Heck no. There's a reason I am FROM Louisiana and it has nothing to do with crawfish.