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ORIGINAL: MercilessMarcy

First, NO, I don't believe our country is PURPOSELY being destroyed. I think our systems no longer work due to corruption and that we have simply outgrown them.

The changes that are needed are politically explosive and will not be made until after global mega-depression FORCES us (as a nation, and the world governments as well) to make fundamental changes. Ignoring a problem will not prevent it from happening. After a mega-depression radical reforms will eventually be made. Major reforms are needed
POLITICAL REFORMS i.e. Campaign finance reform, Media reform, Lobbying reform, Improving governmental efficiency

Spot On, our country used to be great, but we have allowed a multitude of mistakes, including rampant unbridled outsourcing, and corporate greed to bring us to the sad state that we are in now.
We might as well accept the fact, that this is an "end" to an era.
Change is coming!

PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS (think automobile industry for one) there are ten and too complicated to name here.

Econonic Stablization: reforms will generate investments and consumer confidence, and ensure that the bubbles that created the mega-depression never happen again. (housing bubble, banking bubble, stocks and derivatives, foreign exchange, bonds, gold)

There will be three major problems of the Mega-Depression, with inflation being extraordinarily high all over the world, international trade will virtually collapse, and unemployment will be very high everywhere.

Think-Tanks at McGill University believe inflation will be addressed by the implementation of EPRITS (electronic Property Rights Transfer System). Unemployment will be addressed by welfare and employment/unemployment benefit reforms. Balanced trade will be addressed through the implementaion of the IMU (International Monetary Unit). Which means, yes, the dollar will fail, probably by 2012 or 2013.

These are very complex problems, but they do have solutions. PREPARE YOURSELVES

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ORIGINAL: xBullx

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ORIGINAL: juliaoceania

Since their citizens get low cost healthcare, probably

So you'd sell your freedom for free health care?

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ORIGINAL: thompsonx

I am sure you are aware of the provisions of the patriot act...so just which freedoms are you speaking of trading?

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ORIGINAL: xBullx

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ORIGINAL: thompsonx

I am sure you are aware of the provisions of the patriot act...so just which freedoms are you speaking of trading?

<------Not a supporter of the patriot act.

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ORIGINAL: thompsonx


Another point of common ground twixt thee and me.
The question remains though...which freedoms are you speaking of trading?

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ORIGINAL: AnimusRex

OK, back to the budget deficit, one of my pet topics.

First, I read the article; it projects that the health care reform will add to the deficit; but take a look at this graph to see what is also adding tremendously to the deficit- namely the Bush tax breaks for the wealthy- that huge orange slice of the graph in the middle.

But I have to ask why when we are talking about the massive government spending and debt, we immediately leap to cutting health care; Here is the current FY 2010 budget numbers (In very round terms, courtesy of Wallstats.com and yes, I know I have listed these several times before)

1. Debt Service 400 Billion
2. Medicare- 600 Billion
3. Social Security- 1 Trillion
4. Defense- 1 Trillion
5. Every other damn thing the Gov't does- 500 Billion

Total= 3.5 Trillion

Income- about 2.1 Trillion (including the 1 Trillion from Social Security payroll tax)

Deficit- 1.4 Trillion

Lets all agree we want to balance the budget. Where do any of you see 1.4 Trillion in cuts? Seriously, take a moment yourself and write out the 5 categories with the numbers you would like to see.

I just don't think it is possible to balance the budget without rescinding the Bush tax cuts, but if it were up to Presnit Animus, I wind down the wars and stop spending a Trillion dollars a year trying to build roads and schools and hospitals in Afghanistan, before I tell Grandma she has to start eating cat food, or tell an unemployed waitress that she has to suck it up and do without those chemo treatments because she doesn't have insurance.