Where the country is heading

[tskeeter]

May 5, 2014 13:19:26 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

May 5, 2014 13:00:25 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

I don't think you need to resort to mandatory birth control to limit the birth rate in low skilled, poorly educated families.  I think it is as simple as limiting public assistance to a certain family size.  Say Mom, Dad, and first child.  If we removed the economic incentive to having large families, and remove the economic safety net for families that choose to raise large families they can't provide for, I believe that people will make different choices.  Give people the opportunity to make whatever choices they want.  But, limit the use of taxpayer funds to support the choices they are making. 

While I agree with the approach, most people aren't willing to let children suffer the consequences of their parent's poor choices.  If we did that we'd have people on the evening news complaining how they can't feed their family of 7 on the meager amount they get from the government, complete with pictures of starving, naked children.

While I agree with your thoughts, Phoenix, I guess I'm just unsympathetic and cold hearted. 

I don't advocate pulling support retroactively and changing the rules of the game for people who already have large families.  But, I do think you can tell people, as of X date the rules will be different. 

I believe that parents who would bring kids into this world who they know will be faced with deprivation are the bad guys.  The bad guys are not the people who choose not to subsidize the choices others make.  If a person is such a bad parent that they would choose to impose deprivation on their child, I suspect that they are going to be a bad parent in other aspects of parenting, too.  And that child's life is going to be pretty difficult.    

[Peace Of Mind]

Based on what I read here the country is heading into the toilet.

[Ava]

I think, like many of you, that this country is heading in the wrong direction.
But I also think there's still time to fix many issues.
Government spending is a problem; we should have a balanced budget and stop raising taxes and getting loans. It'll probably be very painful for most of us, but it should be done.
To me, the two actions that would have the most positive impact would be;
universal healthcare, and investing in infrastructure and construction. Manufacturing going to China was sort of inevitable in a globalized economy, but investing in other industries could create plenty of good jobs for the U.S. We need a solid middle class in order to progress. If the country would invest in construction and infrastructure; roads, bridges, etc. and pay good salaries, then things would change a lot, in my opinion.
As for what can I do personally to improve the situation; unfortunately, not much.
I vote, and I try to choose the lesser evil. But I would like to see at least a third political party and easier access for middle and lower class people to become candidates.

[Phoenix84]

May 5, 2014 16:55:52 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Based on what I read here the country is heading into the toilet.

I suppose it's human nature to be negative about the future.  Humans tend to disparage the future and glorify the past.

[achelois]

May 5, 2014 17:12:08 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

May 5, 2014 16:55:52 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Based on what I read here the country is heading into the toilet.

I suppose it's human nature to be negative about the future.  Humans tend to disparage the future and glorify the past.

But...THIS time it's DIFFERENT!  

[Phoenix84]

May 5, 2014 17:01:53 GMT -5 Ava said:

I think, like many of you, that this country is heading in the wrong direction.
But I also think there's still time to fix many issues.
Government spending is a problem; we should have a balanced budget and stop raising taxes and getting loans. It'll probably be very painful for most of us, but it should be done.
To me, the two actions that would have the most positive impact would be;
universal healthcare, and investing in infrastructure and construction. Manufacturing going to China was sort of inevitable in a globalized economy, but investing in other industries could create plenty of good jobs for the U.S. We need a solid middle class in order to progress. If the country would invest in construction and infrastructure; roads, bridges, etc. and pay good salaries, then things would change a lot, in my opinion.
As for what can I do personally to improve the situation; unfortunately, not much.
I vote, and I try to choose the lesser evil. But I would like to see at least a third political party and easier access for middle and lower class people to become candidates.

Well, much of our infrastructure is old and needs updating.  But there comes a point where you're investing in infrastructure just for the sake of infrastucture.  Construction projects only last so long, it's not really a viable longer term strategy.

I don't agree with universal healthcare being a solution.  The problem with healthcare is costs and the government is the exact opposite of keeping costs down and running things efficiently.  Look at social security, congress basically raided it and replaced the money with "IOU's."  And these people are the ones who you want to trust running your healthcare?  Show me a place where government can run things efficiently and at lower cost than the private sector and maybe I'll consider it.  Until then, I think universal healthcare would make us accelerate off the cliff to ruin even faster.

[souldoubt]

I don't think may are predicting the end to our country but America's reign as the top superpower won't last forever.  How we deal with that and come out of it is the biggest question.  If our government's answer is to continue spending it will be a much harder landing than it needs to be.  

[tskeeter]

May 5, 2014 17:01:53 GMT -5 Ava said:

I think, like many of you, that this country is heading in the wrong direction.
But I also think there's still time to fix many issues.
Government spending is a problem; we should have a balanced budget and stop raising taxes and getting loans. It'll probably be very painful for most of us, but it should be done.
To me, the two actions that would have the most positive impact would be;
universal healthcare, and investing in infrastructure and construction. Manufacturing going to China was sort of inevitable in a globalized economy, but investing in other industries could create plenty of good jobs for the U.S. We need a solid middle class in order to progress. If the country would invest in construction and infrastructure; roads, bridges, etc. and pay good salaries, then things would change a lot, in my opinion.
As for what can I do personally to improve the situation; unfortunately, not much.
I vote, and I try to choose the lesser evil. But I would like to see at least a third political party and easier access for middle and lower class people to become candidates.

I find the idea of a balanced budget very scary.

While I support the idea that our government should be fiscally responsible.  Not something I think our politicians are very good at.  I also think there are times where it is appropriate for our government to engage in deficit spending.  The Great Depression and our recent economic crisis are examples of those times.  To require a balanced budget would not allow our government to deal with times of great economic crisis in an expedient fashion.  The result would be much, much worse than the economic crisis we have faced over the last 5 - 6 years.

As for how we fix our current situation, I think the answer is to reduce the hand outs and start making an investment in our country's infrastructure.  Paying people not to work does not produce anything of value.  However, if we look to creating jobs replacing our crumbling infrastructure, we have actually invested in our future. 

Today, we enjoy the benefits of the infrastructure investment made during the Great Depression.  Electricity from Hoover Dam.  CCC constructed park facilities all along the Oregon coast.  Parkways along the Hood River.  Telemark Lodge.  The harbor at Grand Marais, MN.  And hosts of other infrastructure improvements across the country. 

And, our infrastructure badly needs replacement.  When bridges collapse into rivers and people die, it is obvious to all of us that we need to spend money on infrastructure.  But, still, we pay construction workers to sit at home instead of paying them to rebuild our aging infrastructure.  Are we really so stupid that we think behaving like that is a good idea?

[tallguy]

May 5, 2014 18:32:41 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

May 5, 2014 17:01:53 GMT -5 Ava said:

I think, like many of you, that this country is heading in the wrong direction.
But I also think there's still time to fix many issues.
Government spending is a problem; we should have a balanced budget and stop raising taxes and getting loans. It'll probably be very painful for most of us, but it should be done....

I find the idea of a balanced budget very scary.

While I support the idea that our government should be fiscally responsible.  Not something I think our politicians are very good at.  I also think there are times where it is appropriate for our government to engage in deficit spending.  The Great Depression and our recent economic crisis are examples of those times.  To require a balanced budget would not allow our government to deal with times of great economic crisis in an expedient fashion.  The result would be much, much worse than the economic crisis we have faced over the last 5 - 6 years....

I think what you mean is that you find the idea of a balanced-budget amendment very scary. As do I. While government should always try to keep spending in line with revenues it is not necessarily something that should be mandated by law.  I am on record several times in the past saying that there are two occasions where deficit-spending is appropriate:  Recession and war.  I believe it to be (as you do) a legitimate function of government to spend when the general public can't or won't in an attempt to help salvage the economy during hard times.  It is also necessary to do whatever it takes to win a war (and hopefully we would have leaders who only involved us in legitimate wars.)  And as I have also said previously, deficit-spending during times of peace and prosperity is unconscionable.  

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

May 5, 2014 21:22:08 GMT -5 @patstab said:

I think this time it is different. I was reading today soon the country will be 50% minority or brown, the teaching profession is still 82% white.

I know some of you will say I'm racist and totally wrong but sadly I'm not wrong and I'm not racists but factual. In Houston I saw the brown for the most part did not take education seriously. Hispanic drop out rates are 50% or more, in the black area all you hear about is not acting white, which meant not getting good grades. I don't care who you act like but people you need an education.

We are creating more and more unskilled labor. We still need the trades but with the demise of unions who is teaching those skills?

If this continues, and I don't see how it won't, we as a country are screwed.

I won't say you're racist, but you're sounding racist. I'm not sure what you mean by "brown". There are probably nearly as many "white" people who don't take advantage of the schooling, training and education available to them.

Every person has the opportunity to make something of themselves - whether they grab at that opportunity is up to them. Their skin color makes no difference. (Bill Cosby come to mind?)

Do you consider East Indians as "brown"?? Many of the most educated Engineers, Doctors etc are of East Indian Culture.

There's also the "white" trailer-trash culture - and people living off the Gov't dole.

It has little to do with race, and more to do with lack of ambition.

[zibazinski]

Doesn't matter what color you are. You have no right to the fruits of another's labor.

[Deleted]

Does that go for those who make their fortunes on the backs of their workers? 

[zibazinski]

Free country. If you think it's easy being the boss, you're free to start a business.

[Deleted]

May 5, 2014 21:50:28 GMT -5 ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ said:

May 5, 2014 21:22:08 GMT -5 @patstab said:

I think this time it is different. I was reading today soon the country will be 50% minority or brown, the teaching profession is still 82% white.

I know some of you will say I'm racist and totally wrong but sadly I'm not wrong and I'm not racists but factual. In Houston I saw the brown for the most part did not take education seriously. Hispanic drop out rates are 50% or more, in the black area all you hear about is not acting white, which meant not getting good grades. I don't care who you act like but people you need an education.

We are creating more and more unskilled labor. We still need the trades but with the demise of unions who is teaching those skills?

If this continues, and I don't see how it won't, we as a country are screwed.

I won't say you're racist, but you're sounding racist. I'm not sure what you mean by "brown". There are probably nearly as many "white" people who don't take advantage of the schooling, training and education available to them.

Every person has the opportunity to make something of themselves - whether they grab at that opportunity is up to them. Their skin color makes no difference. (Bill Cosby come to mind?)

Do you consider East Indians as "brown"?? Many of the most educated Engineers, Doctors etc are of East Indian Culture.

There's also the "white" trailer-trash culture - and people living off the Gov't dole.

It has little to do with race, and more to do with lack of ambition.

also, hispanics are white

[milee]

May 6, 2014 7:35:20 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

May 5, 2014 21:50:28 GMT -5 ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ said:

also, hispanics are white

Yep. Just ask George Zimmerman.

[milee]

May 6, 2014 7:26:44 GMT -5 oped said:

Does that go for those who make their fortunes on the backs of their workers? 

What does this mean?

If you're referring to the days of slavery or preindustrial times where workers had virtually no choice, then it was pretty awful but yes, owners of businesses (and people ) made their fortunes on the backs of their workers.  If you're talking within the last several decades, there's enough choice and opportunity that workers have alternate options, so the phrase "on the backs of their workers" implies a dynamic that's no longer applicable.

[Gardening Grandma]

Ever since I was a kid, I've heard versions of "This country is going to hell in a handbasket".  The Cold War, Vietnam, the super-inflation...  So I take this meme with a grain fo salt.

I do agree with tskeeter's point about infrastructure.  I don't know what Ava is talking about when she says "higher taxes".  The tax rate is the lowest it's been in years, if ever.  And that may be why we don't have the money to repair our infrastructure.

My biggest concern, hasn't been mentioned: the unprecendented power of corporations.  With the Citizens United decision, corporations, including foreign corporations, have power to buy elections.  That, and the resources to heavily influence Congress really make me wonder if we will continue as a viable democracy.

[tskeeter]

May 6, 2014 8:38:09 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

Ever since I was a kid, I've heard versions of "This country is going to hell in a handbasket".  The Cold War, Vietnam, the super-inflation...  So I take this meme with a grain fo salt.

I do agree with tskeeter's point about infrastructure.  I don't know what Ava is talking about when she says "higher taxes".  The tax rate is the lowest it's been in years, if ever.  And that may be why we don't have the money to repair our infrastructure.

My biggest concern, hasn't been mentioned: the unprecendented power of corporations.  With the Citizens United decision, corporations, including foreign corporations, have power to buy elections.  That, and the resources to heavily influence Congress really make me wonder if we will continue as a viable democracy.

As people discuss what appropriate tax rates are, the people who advocate raising taxes on the wealthy like to point to the marginal federal income tax rates in the 90% range that existed in the post WWII period as the benchmark that proves our taxes, especially on the wealthy, are too low.  The people making this argument usually ignore a few relevant key facts.  First, the country was paying off the debts created during an economic collapse and a major war.  Second, at that time, there was virtually no competition for the US manufactured goods throughout the world.  The manufacturing capacity of most of the world's major manufacturing powers, Europe, Japan, and China, had been bombed into oblivion during the war.  So, as pretty much the only source of manufacutured goods, US businesses enjoyed an unprecedented economic boom while other countries worked to rebuild their manufacturing capacity.  And, federal income tax rates had never been so high before or since.  So the tax rates cited are a short term abnormality, and not sustainable for an extended period of time, as those who claim the wealthy don't pay their fair share would have you believe.  It is also worth noting that during the post war period, many other taxes that people pay today did not exist.  Sales taxes are a phenomena of the 60's in many states.  As is most of the property taxes paid in association with registering your car (the actual license fee on my car is about $15, the rest of the approximately $250 in registration fees is taxes on the value of the car).  There were no universal service taxes on phone bills, in order to provide phone service to remote areas and cellular service to social service recipients.  There were no environmental fees charged on auto repairs, tire purchases, and a host of other goods and services. And the list of taxes on various types of transactions goes on and on.  To use only federal income taxes as the basis for a claim that taxes are too low is misleading.  I suspect that if you could identify all of the various types of taxes hidden in the various goods and services you buy, we'd find that for most of us, our effective tax rate would be in the 50% range, or more.  

[zibazinski]

My airline tickets taxes and fees are more than the price of the actual ticket.

[Tennesseer]

May 6, 2014 10:59:17 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

My airline tickets taxes and fees are more than the price of the actual ticket.

Where are you flying to? To your next door neighbor's home, 50 feet away?