Re: War with Iraq?

From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@yahoo.com)
Date: Mon Sep 23 2002 - 13:51:21 MDT


--- Damien Sullivan <phoenix@ugcs.caltech.edu> wrote:
> Paul Krugman goes on about it almost ad nauseam. The whole
> privatization of
> Social Security thing. Right now money paid in taxes goes out as
> benefits to
> retirees. Bush suggests letting people put that money into their own
> retirement accounts. But then who pays the current benefits?
> Because this
> plan isn't supposed to reduce current benefits or raise current
> taxes. Hmm.
> 2-1=4?

Actually, Bush suggests letting individuals, in lieu of imposing one
more increase in Social Security taxes to pay for the retirements of
currently working people (since there will not be enough workers to pay
for them when they retire), that those workers be allowed to invest
those monies into their own retirement accounts, which will raise far
greater interest than government bonds would in social security
accounts. I don't see any lie there.

>
> And then there's the whole tax cut and budget thing. I can't
> replicate the
> numbers here, and Bush is hardly unique in being dishonest about
> finances, but
> Lorrey was the one implying the Europeans were dastardly for not in
> fact giving _unlimited_ support.

That is the problem with making such blanket statements. Smart
politicians don't make such statements if they can get away with it,
and Bush doesn't make such statements.

>
> Hey, if we're going to criticize people for going back on their word,
> how about Papa Bush and no new taxes? Right.

COnsidering how the Bush I tax increase was the result of the DNC
taking the government hostage, I don't suppose it would be acceptable
to label democrats terrorists for doing so, or blaming Bush for
negotiating with such terrorists. Bush Sr. was tossed out of office for
breaking his word. Schroeder broke his word and just got reelected
SPECIFICALLY for doing so. Therein lies the real difference between us
and them.

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