It amazes me people think one guy, a President, can snap his fingers and fix everything. People really need to back up and start using a brain..if they have one.

Finally, some honesty from a candidate.

SURE USING THE SAME SMOKE MAGIC AND BULL SH*T THAT REAGAN USED!! Remember how he tld us he woudld all that spending, cut takes and baalnce the budget and have no deficet?

GaryPDX: It amazes me people think one guy, a President, can snap his fingers and fix everything. People really need to back up and start using a brain..if they have one.

Get a brain, morans?

I'm going to go with "never." But then again, I don't think he'll get the chance.

cameroncrazy1984: GaryPDX: It amazes me people think one guy, a President, can snap his fingers and fix everything. People really need to back up and start using a brain..if they have one.

Get a brain, morans?

I'm not pointing that at anyone in particular..lol. Everyone gets to enjoy that one.

It amazes me people think one guy, a President, can snap his fingers and fix everything.

Yeah, that's just crazy talk. No one can fix the deficit ... 'cept maybe that one guy a few years back, Bill someone. So quit with fantasy that anyone can do anything about the economy.

Sgygus: No one can fix the deficit ... 'cept maybe that one guy a few years back, Bill someone.

Even Bill wasn't able to bring down the national debt, sadly. It would be way easier to balance the budget if we could factor out those interest payments.

HansensDisease: Even Bill wasn't able to bring down the national debt, sadly.

the first step to reducing the debt is eliminating the deficit and creating a surplus. that can't be done overnight (despite what mccain thinks), but clinton did manage (with the cooperation of both republican and democratic congresses) to pull that off in his 8 years.

if the post-clinton republican congress hadn't let PAYGO expire and driven up the deficit like teenage girls at a shoe sale with their father's credit card, we would be paying down the debt.

GaryPDX

It amazes me people think one guy, a President, can snap his fingers and fix everything.

Fix everything? Of course not. Fark up everything? Well, it can't be done with a fingersnap, but if you have someone, hypothetically, who tells and encourages all his appointees to leave Big Business all alone, and this kind of malaise (lazy-fair) spreads outward and downward, you might just get a country where profits soar because there is nothing to obstruct them, pursuit of profit leads to loss of domestic jobs and the mass encouragement of illegal (cheap labor) immigration, necessary and important programs are cut to the bone and then the bone is shaved, Congress is paid off in pork while the infrastructure crumbles and nothing constructive gets done. Hypothetically.

Lucky for us, that kind of thing can't happen here.

Sgygus: Yeah, that's just crazy talk. No one can fix the deficit ... 'cept maybe that one guy a few years back, Bill someone. So quit with fantasy that anyone can do anything about the economy.

There's this other little branch of government, perhaps you've heard of it... In general terms it's known as the "Legislative" branch but we generally refer to it as "Congress".

Little Billy could not have balanced jack without Congress and Congress could not have balanced jack without Billy.

GaryPDX: It amazes me people think one guy.

That is twice i've agreed with you in one day. If this keeps up i'll have to change my name.

The U.S. does have a president with weak powers. Except in foreign policy they don't have as much authority as people think.

GaryPDX: It amazes me people think one guy, a President, can snap his fingers and fix everything. People really need to back up and start using a brain..if they have one.

Apparently the McCampain does (new window)

Republicans = BORROW AND SPEND

Well we have 2 choices here. One guy will probably not cut back on the rampant spending while continuing economic policies that grow the economy. The other guy won't cut spending but will create economic policies that shrink the economy.

But I'm sure the people who think economies always magically grow will disagree.

GaryPDX 2008-06-07 11:50:02 AM
People really need to back up and start using a brain..if they have one.

That's what we've been saying since 2000, but you idiots still voted for Bush a second term. Thanks for laying the blame on others, the hallmark of the GOP.

burndtdan: HansensDisease: Even Bill wasn't able to bring down the national debt, sadly.

the first step to reducing the debt is eliminating the deficit and creating a surplus. that can't be done overnight (despite what mccain thinks), but clinton did manage (with the cooperation of both republican and democratic congresses) to pull that off in his 8 years.

if the post-clinton republican congress hadn't let PAYGO expire and driven up the deficit like teenage girls at a shoe sale with their father's credit card, we would be paying down the debt.

The best way to reduce the size of the yearly deficits is to simply hold spending in check, and let growth outpace spending for a few years. GDP growth is amazing, and that means receipts can easily catch up with expenses. You don't need higher taxes. You don't need painful program cuts. Just slow down the spending, and let growth catch up.

The 1990s did that well. Unfortunately, this decade has sucked at it. And the trend doesn't look good. The current Democrat controlled Congress proposed a 2009 budget that increases spending 6%, when receipts definitely won't grow that much.

GaryPDX: It amazes me people think one guy, a President, can snap his fingers and fix everything. People really need to back up and start using a brain..if they have one.

Tax cuts plus the war. The war is the real killer. That's racking up tons of debt for future generations to pay off.

Shvetz: Tax cuts plus the war. The war is the real killer. That's racking up tons of debt for future generations to pay off.

But... but if you don't go into Iraq then the mooslimbs will kill us all!

/My party... I miss it. =(

helix400: The best way to reduce the size of the yearly deficits is to simply hold spending in check, and let growth outpace spending for a few years. GDP growth is amazing, and that means receipts can easily catch up with expenses. You don't need higher taxes. You don't need painful program cuts. Just slow down the spending, and let growth catch up.

bubbles don't last forever, and you can't have infinite positive growth.

>> John McCain's chief economic advisor says McCain will balance the federal budget

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Yeah like another dumbass republican is gonna even get near a budget.

burndtdan: bubbles don't last forever, and you can't have infinite positive growth.

It's a very safe bet that the GDP will continue to grow decade by decade. It may have one declining year every now and then, but the trend is for big growth.

For example, this page has a chart showing the GDP grows quite nicely over the years link. Bottom graph, second column from the right, showing adjusted GDP increase by year since 1977. You'll notice most are positive. And the few negative ones never get past -1.4%, while more positive ones are in the 4-6% range.

Bob16: >> John McCain's chief economic advisor says McCain will balance the federal budget

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

That was my take on it, too.

Page 28 of this .pdf shows GDP numbers (nonadjusted) since 1930. Since 1933, every year increases.

Also note the projections. Currently, the GDP is about 14 trillion dollars. By 2013, projections are at 18 trillion. Yes, they are projections, but I doubt you'll find many economists who project the GDP falling below 14 trillion by 2013.

McCain will balance the budget, alright..... on a short stack of pancakes with toothpicks and maple syrup.

Of course, the maple syrup is supposed to be on the table before the pancakes.

Rann Xerox: Of course, the maple syrup is supposed to be on the table before the pancakes.

Yeah, definitely... definitely....

HansensDisease:



This is breaking news. I didn't know that McCain was a secret Muslim.

GaryPDX: It amazes me people think one guy, a President, can snap his fingers and fix everything. People really need to back up and start using a brain..if they have one.

You're totally right, you can set up a plan and it might not work because the economy is complicated. But how can I figure out what McCain's actual plan for balancing the budget is from these statements? It's almost as if they have no idea what they want to do. If it's a nuanced plan, then describe it in detail: We want to balance the budget by X date, but if Y happens then we may be delayed.

This is just confusion, and it's something that intelligent people are going to look at and say "wait a minute, he's been campaigning for how long and doesn't have a budget policy yet?"

I_Love_Verdi: GaryPDX: It amazes me people think one guy, a President, can snap his fingers and fix everything. People really need to back up and start using a brain..if they have one.

You're totally right, you can set up a plan and it might not work because the economy is complicated. But how can I figure out what McCain's actual plan for balancing the budget is from these statements? It's almost as if they have no idea what they want to do. If it's a nuanced plan, then describe it in detail: We want to balance the budget by X date, but if Y happens then we may be delayed.

This is just confusion, and it's something that intelligent people are going to look at and say "wait a minute, he's been campaigning for how long and doesn't have a budget policy yet?"

What's even more funny is he won the republican primary and none of his opponents brought the issue up apperantly