Good read for everyone that railed on Bush for budget issues

[Sabek]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29392964/

In addition to sending Congress his $3.55 trillion budget plan for 2010, Obama proposed more immediate changes that would push spending to $3.94 trillion in the current year.

I am not saying Bush didn't have budget deficits as well, but it is interesting to see Obama, the second coming, doing it as well.

[Kilmoll the Sexy]

Maybe by "balance the budget" he actually meant "give everyone enoguh money that money becomes worthless"?

[Funkmasterr]

I am not saying this to be sarcastic or a prick at all, but I really don't see how he could possibly say that he is going to cut the deficit by 1/3 in his first four years when he's planning on spending this much.. It's just plain not possible.

[Animalor]

Seems to be that Obama is just keeping in step with his predecessors to me.

Federal budgets for the last 13 years courtesy of Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Sta ... ral_budget

2009 United States federal budget - $3.10 trillion (submitted 2008 by President Bush)
2008 United States federal budget - $2.90 trillion (submitted 2007 by President Bush)
2007 United States federal budget - $2.77 trillion (submitted 2006 by President Bush)
2006 United States federal budget - $2.7 trillion (submitted 2005 by President Bush)
2005 United States federal budget - $2.4 trillion (submitted 2004 by President Bush)
2004 United States federal budget - $2.3 trillion (submitted 2003 by President Bush)
2003 United States federal budget - $2.2 trillion (submitted 2002 by President Bush)
2002 United States federal budget - $2.0 trillion (submitted 2001 by President Bush)
2001 United States federal budget - $1.9 trillion (submitted 2000 by President Clinton)
2000 United States federal budget - $1.8 trillion (submitted 1999 by President Clinton)
1999 United States federal budget - $1.7 trillion (submitted 1998 by President Clinton)
1998 United States federal budget - $1.7 trillion (submitted 1997 by President Clinton)
1997 United States federal budget - $1.6 trillion (submitted 1996 by President Clinton)
1996 United States federal budget - $1.6 trillion (submitted 1995 by President Clinton)

[Kilmoll the Sexy]

So the largest increase in US history is the change he was talking about? Does he have a brother named Billy by chance?

[Nick]

Apart from a few somewhat contradictory and meaningless gestures, Obama has really yet to prove that he is anything other than another shill politician who's prepared to do as shitty and retarded a job as Bush has done.

[Canelek]

None of the taxbreaks or kickers affect me due to my income so I will try to remain objective here.

He has been in office 2 months.

Some of the talk I see around here reminds me of people that view their favorite sports team through the eyes of a fantasy league tard. "Sign Manny!! Lolz!!", "Just sign him and put him at first base and put blah blah in right field!!1"

[*~*stragi*~*]

all this spending and more bailouts we're sure to give the auto companies again are starting to make me nervious.

[Aardor]

None of the taxbreaks or kickers affect me due to my income so I will try to remain objective here.

He has been in office 2 months.

Actually, 38 days. And doesn't everyone get $400 kickback to spend on hookers and beer?

[Xatrei]

There's a key difference between President Obama's budgets and those of the previous administration that some of you might be missing. Obama's budget includes the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as other spending such as recovery efforts that were previously funded outside of the budgetary process via supplemental funding bills in Congress. This is a larger, but more honest budget than we've seen in previous years. In reality, it doesn't represent as big of an increase as it might appear or as some might, for political reasons, try to depict.

[Funkmasterr]

None of the taxbreaks or kickers affect me due to my income so I will try to remain objective here.

He has been in office 2 months.

Actually, 38 days. And doesn't everyone get $400 kickback to spend on hookers and beer?

The payroll thing? It's $400 over the entire year (little bit each paycheck). Four hundred dollars is fucking nothing, it won't help me at all. I would rather they keep the $400, that would be my part of cutting the deficit.

Same thing as the stimulus Bush did. If you want to encourage people to go out and spend, you need to give them more than a couple hundred dollars. If they send me a check for $5k, then we can talk about me going out and spending money on shit I don't need.

[Lalanae]

There's a key difference between President Obama's budgets and those of the previous administration that some of you might be missing. Obama's budget includes the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as other spending such as recovery efforts that were previously funded outside of the budgetary process via supplemental funding bills in Congress. This is a larger, but more honest budget than we've seen in previous years. In reality, it doesn't represent as big of an increase as it might appear or as some might, for political reasons, try to depict.

Just want to make sure some people are paying special attention to this part. I'd be curious to see what Bush's budgets would look like after adjusting them with these costs. I'm sure it would shut some of your traps on the issue.

[Aardor]

I'm sure it would shut some of your traps on the issue.

You're more confident about that than I would be .

Also, the budget includes substantial investments in health care reform, renewable energy, and education, which CNN (bias) seems to indicate Bush's budgets lacked. Straight up comparing the numbers is a really bad comparison, and we probably need to wait for the full budget to do a real comparison.

[Funkmasterr]

There's a key difference between President Obama's budgets and those of the previous administration that some of you might be missing. Obama's budget includes the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as other spending such as recovery efforts that were previously funded outside of the budgetary process via supplemental funding bills in Congress. This is a larger, but more honest budget than we've seen in previous years. In reality, it doesn't represent as big of an increase as it might appear or as some might, for political reasons, try to depict.

Just want to make sure some people are paying special attention to this part. I'd be curious to see what Bush's budgets would look like after adjusting them with these costs. I'm sure it would shut some of your traps on the issue.

Sure wouldn't shut mine. I've drawn no comparisons thus far between Bush and Obama. All I pointed out is that there is no possible way he can cut the deficit like he said he would and spend that much at the same time.

[Spang]

Sure wouldn't shut mine. I've drawn no comparisons thus far between Bush and Obama. All I pointed out is that there is no possible way he can cut the deficit like he said he would and spend that much at the same time.

And who the fuck are you? Let's see some credentials!

[masteen]

all this spending and more bailouts we're sure to give the auto companies again are starting to make me nervious.

My nervis is HUGE.

[Keverian FireCry]

Sure wouldn't shut mine. I've drawn no comparisons thus far between Bush and Obama. All I pointed out is that there is no possible way he can cut the deficit like he said he would and spend that much at the same time.

You're probably right, it's very unlikely that he can cut the deficit by as much as he has previously stated. However, whether you blame it on Bush, Clinton or the last 100 years of many back-ass-ward policies... he has has come to power in one of the most complex and dire times in American history.

What is fucked up here is that the man has been in power 38 days and bitter partisans like you and Kilmoll are already deeming his presidency a failure and calling him a fraud.

I suppose it's equally fucked up that there are many people who are unwilling to question anything Obama does and seem to think he is utterly infallible.

It's this partisan rhetoric and fanaticism that is most dangerous in these kind of times. We should start a thread on things we generally disagree with eachother about, and start hashing out which ones we might be willing to compromise on to some extent. Find a common ground, make use of this community beyond the status-quo bullshit we take part in every day.

Just something to ponder I guess....

[Nick]

Good post Kev, although unfortunately I'm pretty sure most people here will ignore it in favour of the usual idiocy.

[Fairweather Pure]

The payroll thing? It's $400 over the entire year (little bit each paycheck). Four hundred dollars is fucking nothing, it won't help me at all.

The same people that complain about how small the tax break is would be the first ones screaming at the top of thier lungs in fury if you were taxed 400$ more a year. That goes for every Republican bitch in Washington too.

[Funkmasterr]

Sure wouldn't shut mine. I've drawn no comparisons thus far between Bush and Obama. All I pointed out is that there is no possible way he can cut the deficit like he said he would and spend that much at the same time.

You're probably right, it's very unlikely that he can cut the deficit by as much as he has previously stated. However, whether you blame it on Bush, Clinton or the last 100 years of many back-ass-ward policies... he has has come to power in one of the most complex and dire times in American history.

What is fucked up here is that the man has been in power 38 days and bitter partisans like you and Kilmoll are already deeming his presidency a failure and calling him a fraud.

I suppose it's equally fucked up that there are many people who are unwilling to question anything Obama does and seem to think he is utterly infallible.

It's this partisan rhetoric and fanaticism that is most dangerous in these kind of times. We should start a thread on things we generally disagree with eachother about, and start hashing out which ones we might be willing to compromise on to some extent. Find a common ground, make use of this community beyond the status-quo bullshit we take part in every day.

Just something to ponder I guess....

When did I call his presidency a failure? When did I call or even imply that he was a fraud? Don't group me with people just because I'm not in the liberal majority on this board, it's getting tiring. Really anything I have said is aimed more at the people you are talking about on the other side of the fence, that Obama can do no wrong to.

They thought some big change was coming, that Obama was going to save the world, stop hunger, cure aids, get rid of republicans, give everybody all the medicine they want, and give them all a job, and guess what? He can't live up to their absurd expectations. I am just pointing out what I have said all along, which is he is just another politician, and things won't change that much.

As far as finding common ground, it's totally something I'm willing to do. I know some shit needs to change, and not because of the shape the country is in right now, I would have told you the same thing 5, 10 or 15 years ago. And this time might be a time in politics where that could happen, but in all honesty I don't think Obama is going about it the right way if that's what he wants the republicans to do. He is basically asking them to just hop on board with him and completely put their fundamental beliefs aside, which is absurd to ask of anyone.

If you want to start that thread, go right on ahead. Make some talking points, I'll respond. Like I've previously stated, I'm all done with the "flaming" bullshit in current events cause it's wrecking the atmosphere and my personal enjoyment, so you don't need to worry about me fucking the thread up.

The same people that complain about how small the tax break is would be the first ones screaming at the top of thier lungs in fury if you were taxed 400$ more a year. That goes for every Republican bitch in Washington too.

You know this how? I only speak for myself, but my girlfriend and I are going to be engaged soon (I hope), and once our incomes are combined, with her job, my job, and the business I started we are going to be in the 120-150k/yr range, and no matter what he or anyone else says, I'm willing to bet he will raise taxes for me before he's out of the office.. And if that raise in taxes actually does a damn thing, I'll be fine with it. Only time will tell I guess.

[Zaelath]

You know this how? I only speak for myself, but my girlfriend and I are going to be engaged soon (I hope), and once our incomes are combined, with her job, my job, and the business I started we are going to be in the 120-150k/yr range, and no matter what he or anyone else says, I'm willing to bet he will raise taxes for me before he's out of the office.. And if that raise in taxes actually does a damn thing, I'll be fine with it. Only time will tell I guess.

I think you should seek out an accountant if you think combined income is treated the same as a single income.

Oh and gratz?

[Funkmasterr]

You know this how? I only speak for myself, but my girlfriend and I are going to be engaged soon (I hope), and once our incomes are combined, with her job, my job, and the business I started we are going to be in the 120-150k/yr range, and no matter what he or anyone else says, I'm willing to bet he will raise taxes for me before he's out of the office.. And if that raise in taxes actually does a damn thing, I'll be fine with it. Only time will tell I guess.

I think you should seek out an accountant if you think combined income is treated the same as a single income.

Oh and gratz?

I'm not sure what you're getting at there... But... oh and thx dudehifive!1

[Lalanae]

Funk, tax brackets are scaled differently for couples than for singles. You'll likely be in the same tax bracket, possibly even a lower one depending on how your incomes are split now. I was in a higher tax bracket before I got married.