coffee party

[subroc]

I expect a center left groups most urgent issue would be a way to spend more money and provide more services

[YardleyLabs]

I find it interesting that the poll on the home page, "In your opinion, what is the most urgent issue?", does not include the debt or budget deficit.

I noticed that also. Unfortunately, many among the too earnest progressives are as bad as Bushites in believing that the deficit is irrelevant. I understand the attitude. When banks keep sending you unsolicited credit cards with high limits, it's difficult to believe that the spigot might one day be cut off. It is too easy to rationalize and say that your debt level is really important because income is high.

I believe that the US will find its credit largely cut off in the next 4-5 years unless our total debt level begins to shrink dramatically. When you realize that the current deficit totals 10% of GDP, you begin to get a sense of how severe the impact of a sudden change could be on our economy. Another way to look at it is that our deficit is approximately equal to the total discretionary non-military budget plus the total military budget. For those who then suggest cuts to Medicare and Social Security to close the gap, it is importnt to note that these programs are still generating current surpluses of almost $200 billion per year. A third of the deficit gap can easily be attributed to the impact of the recession -- the amount that Federal receipts fell because of the economy -- and an economic rebound may actually cut the deficit by as much as 40-50%. Even with that, however, we would be left with a deficit exceeding the total value of all military and defense related spending ($700 billion), or more than the value of all "discretionary" spending in the Federal budget. None of the spending solutions that have been proposed by either party comes even close to bridging the gap.

[Gerry Clinchy]

Originally posted by Yardley

an economic rebound may actually cut the deficit by as much as 40-50%. Even with that, however, we would be left with a deficit exceeding the total value of all military and defense related spending ($700 billion), or more than the value of all "discretionary" spending in the Federal budget. None of the spending solutions that have been proposed by either party comes even close to bridging the gap

That first comment leads me to think that the overall economy deserves more Congressional attention than health care reform to which they have devoted thousands of hours of their time. Obviously, increasing Fed tax receipts (and also decreasing funds being spent to support the unemployed) would go a long way to solving at least a large portion of the deficit problem! 40-50% is nothing to sneeze at.

It was reported the other day that Ireland has acted on its deficit by reducing govt employee compensation by 7% across the board. Doesn't seem like such a bad idea for the US? It was also mentioned that the temporary funding gap due to the lack of legislative action was equal to expenditures of $190 million a day. Fund one less day per month, and that's 1/2 billion (give or take). It was mentioned that it involved the furlough of 1000 Federal workers. With the size of the Fed workforce, one could easily rotate which workers would be furloughed each month.

[ducknwork]

On $.18 a day...

Good luck What'll you feed the kids? Oatmeal and koolaid?

No beer for you.

JD

I'll leave the koolaid to you and your pals...It seems as though you guys are hogging it all.

I'm up to $.32 now...

Got $10k paid off in the last 6 months and freed up plenty of extra money. It was worth the temporary sacrifices. I still don't waste money on beer though, except very rarely at a restaurant, but they don't typically serve beer at the kid oriented restaurants that I am finding my self at more and more these days.

[dnf777]

I'll leave the koolaid to you and your pals...It seems as though you guys are hogging it all.

I'm up to $.32 now...

Got $10k paid off in the last 6 months and freed up plenty of extra money. It was worth the temporary sacrifices. I still don't waste money on beer though, except very rarely at a restaurant, but they don't typically serve beer at the kid oriented restaurants that I am finding my self at more and more these days.

Try Chuck E Cheese. They have something for everyone, including Dad.

[Hoosier]

Try Chuck E Cheese. They have something for everyone, including Dad.

Chuck E Cheese don't have strippers!!!

[Hew]

The head of the Coffee Party is a Democrat shill and Obama sycophant posing as some starry-eyed independent. Gee, that sounds like someone else I know. http://bigjournalism.com/fross/2010/...-the-ny-times/

[Hoosier]

The head of the Coffee Party is a Democrat shill and Obama sycophant posing as some starry-eyed independent. Gee, that sounds like someone else I know. http://bigjournalism.com/fross/2010/...-the-ny-times/

That's strange, and who was it that started this thread.

So, would the coffee party be where we go to discuss how to put an extravagant edition on a house that's fully engulfed in flames.

[dnf777]

Partisan politics as usual, eh?
Didn't expect any more, or any less.
More concern with labeling too. No wonder this place gets nowhere!
Have a nice day.

[Terry Britton]

Coffeebagger

http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...m=coffeebagger