Raising the debt limit?

[vintagetoppsguy]

Raising the debt ceiling isn't the long term answer. It's like putting a band aid over cancer. It doesn't solve the problem. The real answer it to reduce spending, entitlement reform and for the government to get the Hell out of the way so America can do what it does. That's the only way we'll ever get out of this mess.

Props to Michingan for signing into law new legislation that put a lifetime limit on cash welfare benefits of four years. They say 41,000 people will loose their welfare benefits on October 1st. "F" them!

[Leon]

I let this one thread go and so far so good. What I don't want is political debate falling into other threads and I will put a stop to it if it goes there.

I truly believe that in order to curb the debt problem it does have to be a many pronged approach. We MUST cut out the fraud in the system. We MUST cut out the subsidies to people that make a lifetime of using the system. Some of them work harder at not working and letting the govt. support them than if they were to go get a job. It makes me sick.

As most know I do volunteering every week at the Salvation Army. I teach life skills to homeless veterans. My new angle for them is NOT letting them use the perennial crutch of "I can't work or my XXXX entitlement will go away".....whether they think they are disabled, underprivileged, or whatever. Just because they are in some stupid program *(not the one they are in at the Salvation Army, but the one they hope to get money from) doesn't mean they have to stay in it. Just because a quack doctor says they can't work, doesn't always mean they can't. I make sure I am not giving them bad advice but just another way of thinking about things. Not one of them has ever prospered while being "in" the system. You have to get out of the system to prosper. Cut out all of the waste, and the losers that don't want to work, and you probably cut entitlements by 30% or more. Then we need to cut the loopholes for the richest Americans. When Warren Buffet says he pays less percentage of his taxes than his office workers it should make the idiots in Washington take notice. I doubt it does. Also, we should really look at helping other countries less until we get our house in order. Let's take care of ourselves before we take care of others. There are some of my rants......

[vintagetoppsguy]

Leon, props to you for your volunteer work. I think you chose a great group of people to help. I'm very selective of the charities I donate to, but one of my favorites is the DAV (Disabled American Veterans). Those are the guys that put their lives on the line to protect our freedom and are really deserving of our help.

I have no problem with entitlements when they're used to help people, not support them for the duration of their lifetime. I'm tired of hearing about these second, third, etc generation welfare recipients. I really expect to see more states follow suite to Michigan’s new law. I don’t see where they really have a choice in the matter. There’s just no more money.

Tax loopholes do need to be closed. However, anybody that believes that idiot Warren Buffet should wipe the Kool Aid from their chin before it dribbles down their shirt. Buffet pays capital gains taxes. His secretary pays federal income tax. Two different taxes. He’s a typical liberal that likes to spin things to make it sound like he wants you to hear it. Besides, if he really wants to pay more taxes, he can simply stroke a check to the government. Has he ever done that? No. He would rather spin it to push his liberal agenda.

[DaClyde]

Originally Posted by Leon

I truly believe that in order to curb the debt problem it does have to be a many pronged approach. We MUST cut out the fraud in the system. We MUST cut out the subsidies to people that make a lifetime of using the system.

I agree with this completely, and this is also where almost all of the congressional budget talks collapse. Someone will make the point that cutting or reforming social program X will "only" save the taxpayers a few million dollars over the next 4-10 years. And somehow that "only" statement seems to contain the implied "so we shouldn't bother with it" tacked onto the end. Instead, all parties either do nothing or "compromise" on a plan that includes almost no actual cuts, but results in more spending.

If they were to follow through and reform, or end, those programs that "only" save a few million here and there, they would ultimately be saving hundreds of millions, if not billions, of taxpayer dollars. In a few short years, they wouldn't need to worry about raising the debt limit again.