YESSSS! He is a Republican after all!!!

The White House is telling federal agencies to expect lean budgets next year, with congressional aides and lobbyists saying President Bush appears ready to propose freezing or even slightly cutting overall domestic spending.

Targeted would be all annually approved programs except for defense and domestic security.

Excluding those two would leave a part of the budget the administration estimates will total $388 billion for the fiscal year that began October 1. Also excluded are automatically made payments like Social Security and interest on the federal debt.



http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/12/17/bush.spending.ap/index.html

I take it that since they're highlighting domestic spending that the rest of the spending will continue to expand crazily?

Oh boy! MORE money to spend on starting wars! Yeah, I'm predicting another war in the next four years...

Living in a cardboard box on the hilldide of El Pso isn't so bad -- look at all the people that do it.

ROTF

Dop

Originally posted by Blibblob
Oh boy! MORE money to spend on starting wars! Yeah, I'm predicting another war in the next four years...

Yeah, well, you probably thought the same thing after Vietnam you old fu*ck!

Yeah, well, you probably thought the same thing after Vietnam you old fu*ck!
What the fuck are you rambling on about? Do you need an MRI?

Originally posted by Blibblob
Yeah, well, you probably thought the same thing after Vietnam you old fu*ck!
What the fuck are you rambling on about? Do you need an MRI?

You're predicting another war? Well, do you not want us to go into NK and get all the Nuclear crap out? Is it just another way to "waste money"?

If past actions are a prediction of the future, bush will cut domestic spending so that he can get more money to start more illegal wars and get us even further intrenched in killing while at the same time further destroying America's reputation. He is well on his way to starting WW3.

All for the love of money, power and the elite.

Originally posted by Assassin
Yeah, well, you probably thought the same thing after Vietnam you old fu*ck!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA you moron, Blib is 16...

Originally posted by BorgHunter
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA you moron, Blib is 16...

I know, I was proving a point, retard

Originally posted by Assassin
I know, I was proving a point, retard
What point you were trying to prove is a mystery to me...

You're predicting another war? Well, do you not want us to go into NK and get all the Nuclear crap out? Is it just another way to "waste money"?
Yes, because we all know bombing the shit out of everybody will solve everything!

Originally posted by Blibblob
You're predicting another war? Well, do you not want us to go into NK and get all the Nuclear crap out? Is it just another way to "waste money"?
Yes, because we all know bombing the shit out of everybody will solve everything!
Well, I think it's safe to say that doing nothing isn't a way solve anything, either.

Good USA today article ...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-12-19-conservatives-bush_x.htm

outlines what the conservatives want and expect from bush.

Especially note how the cons want to undo the 'no child left behind' act.

Hey don't look at me -- I didn't vote for him.

ROTFLMAO

Dop

lol. new bumper sticker...

don't blame me, I voted for John Kerry!

Get one Dop...my mom is going to get some soon. ;)

Originally posted by Overdose
lol. new bumper sticker...

don't blame me, I voted for John Kerry!

Get one Dop...my mom is going to get some soon. ;)
Coming from someone who tells his parents who to vote for, getting that bumper sticker will be one hell of an accomplishment. Just think, when you're old enough to drive, you can let everyone know how politically astute you are by adorning your Honda Civic with one. In your mom's case, maybe you can get a specially made one that reads, "Don't blame me, for my 15 year-old told me to vote for Kerry". That’d be a real hoot, for sure…

That bumper sticker won't work OD. Everyone knows that gw doesn't make mistakes and anything that does go wrong under his watch is somehow Clintons fault. Just ask trav.

I don't think I've ever heard Trav say that President Bush was infallible, Echo, nor has he ever blamed "everything on Clinton". If you’re going to take potshots, at least try and make 'em good ones...

Originally posted by The Praetorian
I don't think I've ever heard Trav say that President Bush was infallible, Echo, nor has he ever blamed "everything on Clinton". If you’re going to take potshots, at least try and make 'em good ones...

I don't think you have been paying attention. But I admit, I shouldn't be taking pot shots. I have determined to try and be nice to trav. I appologize to you and to him. me bad.

Thank you for the apology, Echo, however, it wasn't necessary.

On a side note, Tweety is a tad white trash, don't you think? Your "peace on Earth" avatar was a bit cliche'ish, but at least it wasn't...well, Tweety.

: The White House is telling federal agencies to expect lean budgets next year, with congressional aides and lobbyists saying President Bush appears ready to propose freezing or even slightly cutting overall domestic spending.

Targeted would be all annually approved programs except for defense and domestic security.

Originally posted by Karankawa
YESSSS! He is a Republican after all!!!

Bush's brand of Republicanism is spelled F_a_s_c_i_s_m.

Thank you prae. Not being a part of the "white trash" community as you call it, I wasn't aware of that. I'll be sure and run my avators by you in the future to insure that I don't use any of your symbols.

Echo made a funny....:lolhit:

Okay, Echo, so you've never associated Tweety paraphernalia with the fat chicks that drive the new body styled Monte Carlo SS, NASCAR edition? They've marketed the fuck out of that little bird - everything from license plate frames and mud flaps to avatars, there's a one-stop trash shop for all fat white women who love that little pecker - you included, apparently.

Well, I think it's safe to say that doing nothing isn't a way solve anything, either.
I never said that. You'd understand my position if you read other stuff I've written too. War creates bigger problems and kills innocents, any gains are outweighed by the detriments to society as a whole.

How, given the constraints of the UN's stranglehold on our nation politically, were we supposed to have accomplished anything constructive without conflict? I don't see it as a reality, so please enlighten me.

How, given the constraints of the UN's stranglehold on our nation politically, were we supposed to have accomplished anything constructive without conflict? I don't see it as a reality, so please enlighten me.
Education. Selling the populous arms. Organizing the populous. Eliminating the leader's world political power. A better organized relief plan. Instead of trading oil for food, the better plan would have been to just drop food directly into the populations hands, or at organized drop points away from the government's prying eyes. Maybe sabotage. I don't accept all out war, but I do accept "dirty" dealings to eliminate tyrants. We're supposed to have the best special forces in the world, why not tap their oil lines and steal it? Tyrants have no world rights, steal from them, assasinate them(not that good of an idea usually because of the political chaos that would ensue), make their government collapse around them. But DON'T punish the people. Don't stop food from getting into the country in these stupid plans of embargos, that hurts the population. We have to attack the government, that's the problem, the people aren't evil, their government is. If we can't organize something to take down a government with very little damage to it's people, I don't see how we're so powerful.

That's interesting...(no sarcasm). Thanks for the answer.

Originally posted by The Praetorian
How, given the constraints of the UN's stranglehold on our nation politically, were we supposed to have accomplished anything constructive without conflict?

Stranglehold?!?!?!

Surely you jest.

The UN has a very difficult time convincing the US to do ANYTHING.

The UN --until recently-- coudn't even get the US to pay the 1.5 billion in DUES that it owed.

It's about time we stopped wasting so much money.

Originally posted by TheGreat Gatsby
It's about time we stopped wasting so much money.
Like on wars in the Middle East and such?

No, more like domestic waste, like Nelnet's student loan debacle, cheating the government out of over $9 million in the past 6 months alone. Things you would know NOTHING about, but you pay for.

Originally posted by TheGreat Gatsby
No, more like domestic waste, like Nelnet's student loan debacle, cheating the government out of over $9 million in the past 6 months alone. Things you would know NOTHING about, but you pay for.
What about the $150 billion spent on the Iraq War? Sure, cutting domestic waste is dandy, but it's pennies compared to what we've spent in Iraq.

The domestic spending is not pennies. That's ONE company in ONE industry. And it was $20,000,000 for that ONE company alone last year, using a loophole in the DOE regulations. It ALL went to exec bonuses.

What about the $150 billion spent on the Iraq War?

Considering welfare alone costs 500 BILLION DOLLARS EVERY FUCKING YEAR AND GROWING,

I couldn't give a shit less about the cost of war!!!!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2004/hhs.html

Originally posted by Karankawa
Considering welfare alone costs 500 BILLION DOLLARS EVERY FUCKING YEAR AND GROWING,

I couldn't give a shit less about the cost of war!!!

The taxpayers are charged around $400 BILLION dollars a year for what is euphemistically called our "defense", and that sum is FAR more than is spent on welfare.

The money going to help disadvanyed people --"welfare"--- is not a cost that can be avoided. If aid is not provided these people, there WILL STILL be tremendous costs to society.

We have not YET --- which it no doubt pains you greatly to recognize-- begun to allow the millions of underpriviledged and disadvantaged people to starve to death on the streets or to die in the streets from lack of healthcare.

The money spent on our so-called "Defense", OTOH, is ---to put it mildly-- being grossly mismanaged, and is OUTRAGEOUSLY too much to spend, as it FAR exceeds what the next 15 nations COMBINED spend on their militaries.

I'd rather see the trillions that go to build a despicable and uneeded nuclear war machine dumped into the ocean than continued to be handed over to the vultures in the military/Industrial complex.

______________________________

When the interest payments on the insane and totally unnecessary nuclear arms build-up instituted by Ronald Reagan during the 1980's finally succeed in bankrupting this nation, over the ruins should be erected a sign reading "Your Taxdollars at Work!"

No doubt, Defense spending could use cuts too. I live wayyy outside of Houston, at least 30 minutes from any military air ports, and still have to listen to their jets fly over my house everyday. It's definitely overkill.

By the way, Education could use some cuts too. At $8000 per year per student, you could send them on a field trip everyday and probably still have money left over. Something is definitely wrong there.

Government waste is COMPLETELY out of control!!

Cutting taxes and cutting funding will cut waste. Once the various brances feel the crunch, and that there is less money to throw away, they will be forced to practice better spending habits, and more fiscal responsibility.

Bush is on the right track. Now if Bush can practice what he preaches and convert on the cost cutting, we will know that Bush is for real.

Thank you for your point, Freethinker. It looks like you have a little laissez-faire in you after all. We might be able to make you into a conservative yet! :)

Originally posted by Blibblob
Oh boy! MORE money to spend on starting wars! Yeah, I'm predicting another war in the next four years...
I guess that's why Bush is takin' care (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17700-2004Dec21.html) of his base.......to finance it!! ;)

"President Bush granted four pardons yesterday, bringing to 31 the total of pardons and sentence commutations he has issued during his first term, the Justice Department announced.

The clemency orders issued by Bush are far off the pace of most modern presidents and less than half the 77 granted by his father, President George H.W. Bush, according to statistics collected by the University of Pittsburgh's law school.

Bush pardoned Kristan Diane Bullock Akins of Raleigh, N.C., convicted of embezzlement by a bank employee; Ronald William Cauley, East Providence, R.I., misapplication of bank funds by an employee; Stephen Davis Simmons, Austin, possession of counterfeit obligations; and Roger Charles Weber, Northridge, Calif., theft from interstate shipment."

Originally posted by Lungdop Philing
Good USA today article ...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-12-19-conservatives-bush_x.htm

outlines what the conservatives want and expect from bush.

Especially note how the cons want to undo the 'no child left behind' act.
Hey, c'mon......where are the short-term profits, in LONG-term investments????????? (http://www.rockridgeinstitute.org/research/block/pessimism)

"Right-wingers endlessly repeat the mantra that when Social Security began, there were 42 people paying into the system for every person receiving benefits and that by 2040 that ratio will fall to 2 working people for every retiree. The logical conclusion is obvious: we can no longer guarantee retirees the level of benefits that they currently receive. The elderly will have to tighten their belts and rely more on their own private savings.

Think, however, of the deep pessimism that lies behind this argument. It is like saying that in 1900, there was one farmer or farm worker for every seven Americans, but because that ratio has fallen to one farmer for every 83 people, we should all tighten our belts and eat less food.

And there is a proven way to grow the economy over the next half century. It is to invest in education and basic research. If we invest in our young people–from early childhood through higher education–we can create a more skilled and productive labor force. And if we also invest more in long term research, we can create the new industries that will employ those highly skilled workers. This is precisely what other nations are doing in their efforts to surpass us as the world’s strongest economic power.

But the problem is even deeper; their “look ma, no hands” approach to the economy is keeping us from developing the industries of the future. In Japan and South Korea, government spending is helping to wire the entire nation for high-speed Internet connections, while our Internet capacity lags far behind. Other nations are spending billions on alternatives to fossil fuels, while we continue to rely on coal and oil. All this is assuring that the industries of the future will flourish overseas."