Bush's Jackson square Katrina speech

[P.S.]

Hmmm...my prior post just disappeared on me...but feeling truculent so I'll repost...
Anybody listen to it?  Turning federal land into private property?  Who thinks it's really gonna stay with people on federal assistance?  Listened to it on the radio.  Anybody else see wolves salivating in the background?

 

[Caroline]

I heard PART of it, but couldn't really develop an opinion - there was just nothing to it aside from generalities.

David Brooks (conservative columnist) said the same thing -- discussion on The Newshour with Jim Lehrer pretty much concluded that the speech wasn't specific at all, didn't ask for the kinds of sacrifices the American people might be expected to undertake in the midst of war AND natural disaster, and mentioned nothing about prioritizing the tremendous costs we're up against.

Bush's comments today confirm that -- he's ruled out a tax raise or even a rollback of the tax breaks already in place, saying that this massive effort with "cost whatever it costs," and that he'll look elsewhere in the budget for the $200 Billion we'll need.

I'm going to look under the sofa cushions for spare change myself, but I don't expect it to pay the mortgage...

It's wait and see for the time-being... but not looking good absent a detailed plan...

Caroline

 

[laurence]

My crystal ball sees INFLATION in our future.

 

[farmerEd]

I'm going to look under the sofa cushions for spare change myself, but I don't expect it to pay the mortgage... 

Then clearly you don't understand the Republican financing plan...you don't look under the cushions to get money to pay the mortgage...you take out a bigger mortgage to pay the mortgage...

 

[Eagle43]

I had an LBJ flashback myself. Wow. Throw money around like that. And you can bet the Lousisana, ahem, crooks contractors and crooks politicians will know what to do with it. I want some of it myself. Just don't want to do any manual labor to get it.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Then clearly you don't understand the Republican financing plan...you don't look under the cushions to get money to pay the mortgage...you take out a bigger mortgage to pay the mortgage...

And your point is?

JG

 

[Lazarus]

The money press is warming up. Only way it will ever be payed for.

 

[BigMoneyJim]

Why do I get the feeling my past SS contributions are going to pay for it?

 

[HFWR]

Why do I get the feeling my past SS contributions are going to pay for it?

Vaporware......................

 

[Caroline]

Why do I get the feeling my past SS contributions are going to pay for it?

Well, there you are... 

There's a great deal of talk of rebuilding, getting people back into their homes and their jobs and beyond that, ending some of the inequities that left so many people so poor they couldn't even leave town. 

But if we're going to continue to prosecute a war against terror at current spending levels, pay for billions in Katrina damages, and keep taxes where they are (plus cut the inheritance tax), then the money has to come from spending programs.  Bush has said as much.

So... what programs?  Cutting infrastructure leaves us less safe than we were before -- San Francisco's mayor spoke last night about the freeways, buildings, and bridges left unreinforced 16 years after the Loma Prieta earthquake -- without enough money, this type of neglect will continue across the country.

But cutting Social Security has a proportionally larger effect on the poor than on the rich.  If he cuts social programs, same thing. 

It's starting to look like we're going to give with one hand and take away with the other, which leaves the misery level pretty much the same -- no change over the long run. 

Any of the folks on this forum who crunch numbers every day and know their retirement income down to the last penny have any idea how to pay for the war, the occupation, the hurricane, the infrastructure, social security, and social programs at the same time? If so, I'd love to hear about it.

Caroline

 

[laurence]

Seriously, I would not want to be in anything long term fixed (except maybe TIPS) right now. They can lie with the inflation numbers all they want, a cup of coffee is going to cost ten bucks pretty soon (instead of $5 ). What's gold trading at right now? Hooray for my fixed mortgage!

EDIT: Carline, very good point, and I think a middle class squeeze via inflation will be the path we take. Just get those printing presses fired up and make more money! So what if another 5% fall below the poverty line!

 

[REWahoo]

Any of the folks on this forum who crunch numbers every day and know their retirement income down to the last penny have any idea how to pay for the war, the occupation, the hurricane, the infrastructure, social security, and social programs at the same time? If so, I'd love to hear about it.

Caroline, it's very simple. Just "charge it" to our grandchildren.

 

[JPatrick]

Step one: Find someone competent to oversee the project.  The NOLA mayor and LA Gov do not come to mind.  Let this group figure out what they need the money for in some detail.  Show this list to the American people.  This act alone may generate a solution all by itself.
Step two: Recall the highway bill for a pork picking session.

 

[HFWR]

Better yet, recall the ENTIRE federal budget...

Bet there are "brazilians" of dollars of pork in there!!

 

[Tadpole]

Any of the folks on this forum who crunch numbers every day and know their retirement income down to the last penny have any idea how to pay for the war, the occupation, the hurricane, the infrastructure, social security, and social programs at the same time?  If so, I'd love to hear about it.

Caroline

It is simple. Cut taxes for all Americans to 1%. The economy will be so stimulated that we will be floating in so much money that we will be able to afford a couple of more wars and still be able to endure another tax cut with ease. That is my very favorite economic fantacy theory.

 

[Nords]

That is my very favorite economic fantacy theory.

At what point does the downward trickle become a flood? What if the tax rate was lowered even further, say to negative five percent, and the govt started sending us money instead of the other way around?

Hey, I'm a little slow to catch on, but isn't that quote supposed to be "Hope SPRINGS eternal?" Or is that cognitive dissonance?

 

[bosco]

rumour has it that Bush was recently asked what his stance was on Roe vs. Wade. His response was "I really don't care how people get out of New Orleans."

 

[Tadpole]

At what point does the downward trickle become a flood?  What if the tax rate was lowered even further, say to negative five percent, and the govt started sending us money instead of the other way around?

I didn't say 0% because the simple math only approaches 0%. But you raise a good issue. I don't think any of the wizzards have ever looked at taxes if approached from the other side of 0% (leaving zero, not approaching). Perhaps you have hit upon the reason no win-win tax trategy has been found.

Hey, I'm a little slow to catch on, but isn't that quote supposed to be "Hope SPRINGS eternal?"

Feels more loomy than springy to me.

 Or is that cognitive dissonance?

yes.