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I think many of the problems that have come to a head recently got their roots starting with Reagan. He did a number of things such as anti union activity, credit related changes. These philosophies were continued with Bush, Clinton and then Bush again. Loosening of credit, affordability of housing, removing regulations, etc. Putting people in a position where getting over-extended is very easy. People will say that a person should be more responsible than to get themselves in trouble financially. The majority of humans aren’t like that, they will take the easy way out to reach a goal if it is available.
GTO Man wrote:
Quote:I think many of the problems that have come to a head recently got their roots starting with Reagan. He did a number of things such as anti union activity, credit related changes. These philosophies were continued with Bush, Clinton and then Bush again. Loosening of credit, affordability of housing, removing regulations, etc. Putting people in a position where getting over-extended is very easy. People will say that a person should be more responsible than to get themselves in trouble financially. The majority of humans aren’t like that, they will take the easy way out to reach a goal if it is available.Loosening of credit? Kind of like Obama giving the banks $700B in loans? Obama having the treasury print more money than what actually exists?
I agree with you that the credit card companies over extend to many people who cannot afford to pay back what they have borrowed. Many also used that same credit card for BS purchases to beging with. IMO, a credit card is for Emergencies Only. If I can’t pay cash for it, I don’t need it. Same goes for everyone else…
If you’re going to blame Reagan, then I will blame Carter for the problems of today as he was in charge of the country during the recession of the 70s. The next guy will blame Gerry Ford, and the next will blame Nixon, and so on. Its still easy to blame GWB – I’m not saying I agreed with all of his policies, but someone needs to tell Mr. Obama that gas is $2.85/gal and he’s in charge. Last time we had high fuel prices, it was GWB’s fault.
The problem is the person in charge now is dealing with the last 40 years. I don’t agree with everything that Obama has done. As far as the banks and their bailout I think that could of been done differently. Fear of what might of happened if they didn’t is what caused the bailout. Unfortunately the people who were bailed out are slimy and have no morals. They care about one thing, their big fat bonuses.
Explain to me how Ron did all this with Dems in the house and senate? We don’t live in a country where one man calls the shots and are throw into law the very next day. The C&C can’t just do things that effect the countries economy. This is just a silly way of pointing fingers. If you’re looking to point fingers at alot of our problems look to the left like Barney Frank, Carter and Clinton. They are the ones that allowed people to get into homes that they could not afford. Also look to Unions for the downfall of alot of companies and reasons why companies leave the US. I hear alot of bitching about big corps and banks. but when it comes to big and powerful unions they get a pass?
Spending in Washington has been out of control for a while now. But if you really think that Barry is going to fix anything by what he is doing i have some beach front in kansas for sale. Spending your way out of debt is suicide. What they are doing has never worked in the HISTORY OF THE WORLD. If you don’t agree then PLEASE tell me how that works? I don’t think this socialist boob is stupid. I think he knows what he is doing which is even more scary to me. He is not trying to fix anything. What has changed besides less freedom due to the continuation of the patriot act and socialized healthcare?Also what was the tax rate when Reagan came into office and when he left office?
the following is from: http://www.truthout.org/032009R
” Let’s go back to the early 1980’s. In 1981, Reagan signed a law that sharply reduced the income tax for the wealthiest Americans and corporations. The president asserted his program would create jobs, purge inflation and, get this, trim the budget deficit. However, following the tax cut, the deficit soared from 2.5 percent of GDP to over 6 percent, alarming financial markets, sending interest rates sky high, and culminating in the worst recession since the 1930’s.
Soon the president realized he needed new revenues to trim the deficit, bring down interest rates and improve his chances for reelection. He would not rescind the income tax cut, but other taxes were acceptable. In 1982, taxes were raised on gasoline and cigarettes, but the deficit hardly budged. In 1983, the president signed the biggest tax rise on payrolls, promising to create a surplus in the Social Security system, while knowing all along that the new revenue would be used to finance the deficit.
The retirement system was looted from the first day the Social Security surplus came into being, because the legislation itself gave the president a free hand to spend the surplus in any way he liked. Thus began a massive transfer of wealth from the poor and the middle class, especially the self-employed small businessman, to the wealthy. The self-employment tax jumped as much as 66 percent.
In 1986, Reagan slashed the top tax rate further. His redistributionist obsession led to a perversity in the law. The wealthiest faced a 28 percent tax rate, while those with lower incomes faced a 33 percent rate; in addition, the bottom rate climbed from 11 percent to 15 percent. For the first time in history, the top rate fell and the bottom rate rose simultaneously. Even unemployment compensation was not spared. The jobless had to pay income tax on their benefits. A year later, the man who would not spare unemployment compensation from taxation called for a cut in the capital gains tax.
How much wealth transfer has occurred through Reagan’s policies? At least $3 trillion. “
General overview:
Trickle down economics: Reduce the taxes on the top 5% of Americans and large corporations and the money will make its way to the ave Joe and small business owners. Make up the difference in lost tax dollars by raising the taxes on the lowest tax bracket.
It’s relatively easy to pick and choose different things, events, political machinations to make ones point. It’s called spin. I remember the price and wage freezes during the Ford and Carter admins. I was unemployed and homeless during some of this time and finding work was hard. I heard Reagan speak in Milwaukee shortly after I returned from California. Despite those things that GTOman brought up, you cannot deny that the Reagan era was also a time of prosperity for many of us. And my tax rate was around 20% during his admin, not 38% and was in no way wealthy. Even in the shadow of his mistakes (Iran/Contra, air traffic controller strikes), I believe he was a decent man, an honorable one, much better than the man that is now in office. Maybe we should just blame George Washington for starting all this mess. No man (or government) is perfect, not Reagan, Bush, Obama or any of the pols in office. I do think that the government needs to quit spending like drunken sailors and taking over the political process as they did this time with the Health care bill. If you think a 3 trillion cost is high…just wait.
I don’t have anything against Reagan personally, he was was a very patriotic President. I think he raised the level of patriotism in this country greatly. But I do disagree with his economic policy. There has been a definite shift in this country where the rich get richer and the middle class has less. And I for one am getting tired of it.
I think Obama has gotten a bum wrap. He is doing something which other President’s haven’t had the guts to do. Health care is a very complex and controversial issue. There are many factors involved. At least we have a starting point now. It can be fine tuned from here.
GTO Man wrote:
Quote:I think Obama has gotten a bum wrap. He is doing something which other President’s haven’t had the guts to do. Health care is a very complex and controversial issue. There are many factors involved. At least we have a starting point now. It can be fine tuned from here.Yes, and it will be fine tuned at our expense. If you thought the middle class got the shaft before, just you wait. As I stated elsewhere, I agree that healthcare costs are high, but the G involving themselves in private business is wrong. Anyone with healthcare thru a government job or the company they work for will see sharp increases in there premiums – higher than they are now.
Mark my words, Obama will be a one-term President. The Citizens of the USA will take back this country!
Quote:I agree that healthcare costs are high, but the G involving themselves in private business is wrong. Anyone with healthcare thru a government job or the company they work for will see sharp increases in there premiums – higher than they are now.How exactly are you concerned with the government getting involved? The bill that passed has no single payer or public option. The extent that the government gets involved is changing some laws which prevent insurance from dropping people for pre-existing conditions (etc), increasing subsidies to the poorest Americans who can’t afford healthcare, and creating insurance “exchanges” where if you don’t get your insurance through your employer, you can go through this “exchange” to find the best rate. There is no government-run healthcare option (like a public option) in the exchange, however.
Personally I think its about time that they did get involved with private business in the issue where insurers were dropping clients so they could make a profit and forcing those they dropped to either bankrupt from medical bills or die
Garibaldi wrote:
Quote:Quote:I agree that healthcare costs are high, but the G involving themselves in private business is wrong. Anyone with healthcare thru a government job or the company they work for will see sharp increases in there premiums – higher than they are now.How exactly are you concerned with the government getting involved? The bill that passed has no single payer or public option. The extent that the government gets involved is changing some laws which prevent insurance from dropping people for pre-existing conditions (etc), increasing subsidies to the poorest Americans who can’t afford healthcare, and creating insurance “exchanges” where if you don’t get your insurance through your employer, you can go through this “exchange” to find the best rate. There is no government-run healthcare option (like a public option) in the exchange, however.
Personally I think its about time that they did get involved with private business in the issue where insurers were dropping clients so they could make a profit and forcing those they dropped to either bankrupt from medical bills or die
Insurance companies are a private business in a capitalist society. The object of business is to make profits, correct? As a business, they can choose to follow what rules they put in place. No one is denied healthcare on the premise of insurance or no insurance. A person can pay $5 a month for the rest of there life for medical practices.
I agree that children born with a condition should not be punished and told they cannot be covered. IMO, the way to get healthcare costs down is an easy one – boycott. If 75% of the American people cancelled there healthcare, the insurance companies would have no choice but to negotiate with the consumer. However, forcing the American people to have healthcare is not right either. Under the new legislation, you will be fined if you do not have coverage. If you don’t pay the fine, you go to jail. While you’re in jail, you will recieve free healthcare. Quite the circle of life, isn’t it?
This is a debate that could go on until Fall Jefferson. We can blame greedy Republicans, we can blame socialist Democrats, we can blame the health care industry, we can blame GWB, and we can blame Ted Kennedy. The point I’m trying to make is you can’t force an American Citizen to have healthcare, and you can’t spend money the country doesn’t have. The Obama Administration has done nothing but spend spend spend. And all the time they are spending, there followers blame guys like Reagan, Bush 1 & 2, Rush Limbaugh, Star Jones, Micheal Vick, and anyone else they can find for the economic woes. The healthcare fiasco will cost us, the taxpayer, money. It will also cost the generations we create and so forth.
There were better ways to go about this. Those behind it had closed door meetings, kept out certain members of the senate and congress, and all the while what for? Personal agendas and financial gain. Every day I’m starting to think it is the administrations’ agenda to run this country into the ground.
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