Throw the Rascals Out !!!

I am pretty disgusted with the "leadership" of our Nation. Both Congress and the President have mismanaged our economy.


The Democrats refuse to even consider trimming Social Security and Medicare. The Republicans refuse to even consider a tax increase. Both are needed.


I am of the opinion that we need new folks in both the White House and Congress.  I predict the next election will be bad for incumbents, and it should be.


When we elect people we need pragmatic problem solvers who will not just pander to their base. We need quality ethical people who will not just say and do what they think will get them reelected.


Ultimately we deserve the government we elect. And we as voters have not been doing a very good job. Let us try to do better in the next election.


Throw the rascals out!!!

39% Approve Debt Deal

Gallup: 39% Approve Debt Deal; 46% Oppose

POSTED IN LIBERALAND BY ALAN • AUGUST 4, 2011, 10:16 AM ET • LEAVE A COMMENT »

http://www.alan.com/

My opinion is that we do need to get our budget balanced 
or closer to balance with a combination of program cuts 
and tax increases. 

Unfortunately the country and our elected officials do 
not seem to understand that. 

But before we start making those cuts and tax increases 
we need to get the economy working again.


But apparently we are not going to do that either.


Democracy is great. Gotta love it.

Throw the Clowns Out

70,000 more people out of work because Congress did not pass simple legislation to keep the FAA working. This in the middle of this deep recession.


What a bunch of inept clowns.


The poll last week said that only 6% of the people approve the performance of Congress.


They must not have been paying attention.


Throw them all out and start over.

Jobs Jobs Jobs!!

Our country and world need jobs. Where are we going to get them?

Here is one idea.

The US should open up immigration to the business people of the world who have $250,000 to invest in a business. We currently allow people in who have $1,000,000. 

We could direct them to inner cities of communities that really need help - Detroit, Gary, etc.

This is a slight revision on the famous poem on the Statue of Liberty.

 "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free". 

provided they have $250,000 to invest in a job producing business.

The Sky is Falling !! We are Doomed!!

The 2010 debt-to-GDP ratio:


US                     53.5% 


Germany           78.8% 


Japan              225.8%

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt-to-GDP_ratio

The data above is from the ever popular Wikapedia taken from the ever popular CIA estimates.


Our growing debt is worrisome and needs to be brought down with a combination of economic growth, program cuts and tax increases. But as the data above shows, we are better off then our two leading advanced economy competitors. 


Yet the hysterics of Tea Party folks has reached the levels of the Global Warming crowd - WE ARE DOOMED !! THE SKY IS FALLING!!


So why the hysterics?  Well talk radio and pundits, for one.  It is good for ratings and the bottom line to talk as if we are in big trouble. People pay far more attention to hysterical screams then they do to rational discourse.  And of course the true believers exaggerate the problem to get peoples attention and galvanize action.

Social Security Info

The U.S. Social Security program is the largest government program in the world and the single greatest expenditure in the federal budget, with 20.8% for social security, compared to 20.5% for discretionary defense and 20.1% for Medicare/Medicaid.^[6] 

Social Security is currently the largest social insurance program in the U.S. where combined spending for all social insurance programs constitutes 37% of government expenditure and 7% of the gross domestic product.^[7] 

Social Security is currently estimated to keep roughly 40% of all Americans age 65 or older out of poverty.^[8] 

In 2010, 54 million people were receiving Social Security benefits, while 157 million people were paying into the fund; of those receiving benefits, 44 million were receiving retirement benefits and 10 million disability benefits. 

Assets in 2010 were $2.6 trillion, an amount that is expected to be adequate to cover the next 10 years. 

In 2023, total income and interest earned on assets are projected to no longer cover expenditures for Social Security, as demographic shifts burden the system. 

By 2035, the ratio of potential retirees to working age persons will be 37% — there will be less than three potential income earners for every retiree in the population. The trust fund would then be exhausted by 2036 without legislative action.^[9]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_(United_States)

A Deal At Last

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — President Barack Obama and Senate leaders announced Sunday night that they have reached agreement on a “framework” debt deal that will cut spending and increase the federal debt ceiling.

Click to Read

Nothing like having a deadline to get something done. Of course we don't know what is in the  bill yet.

But as Nancy Pelosi famously said, Congress will have to pass the bill so that the American people can see what is in it.

But our leadership has not covered itself in glory. I think it is time to throw the current rascals out and get some fresh new rascals. And when we vote we should be mature and intelligent enough to vote for capable pragmatic experienced people with a good track record. Lets try to avoid one issue candidates and those who promise you the world.