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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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a 35% cutback in troop levels and maintenance budgets that left much of the military infrastructure in decay and had to be refurbushed under GWB

Republicans weren't complaining about troop levels and military infrastructure during the 90s--they were too busy screaming we should cut taxes, that "it's your money," as the best use for the not even surpluses at first, but lower deficits. We also outspend by incredible margins all other nations in this area.

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ORIGINAL: tazzygirl

Here you go Domi because im curious about the source as well.

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ORIGINAL: willbeurdaddy
Even Obama's (now former) economic advisor admits that that the multiplier on private spending is about twice the multiplier on government taxing/spending. (A multiplier of 3 vs around 1.4).

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ORIGINAL: willbeurdaddy
Even Obama's (now former) economic advisor admits that that the multiplier on private spending is about twice the multiplier on government taxing/spending. (A multiplier of 3 vs around 1.4).

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ORIGINAL: Brain
They will cut social security, repeal health care reform, cut taxes for the rich and we will be happy as this will provide more freedom.

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ORIGINAL: Brain
It’s not a bailout. Those kids need to get an education or they have no future.

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Wrong, they wanted tax cuts and spending cuts outside of the defense budget. Clintons average defense budget was 17% below GHWB's and in addition he shifted another 15% or so out of the standing army and into technology areas with overpriced sole source contracts. He overturned the winning low bid on LOGCAP and awarded the contract to Halliburton. Military manpower decreased from 2.1 million at the end of GHWBs administration to 1.6 million. the Army was cut from 18 divisions to 12. The Navy was reduced from 546 ships to 380. Air Force flight squadrons were cut from 76 to 50. He instituted a pay freeze on U.S. troops, 80 percent of whom earned $30,000 or less annually.

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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

Archer: "Item #1 a tax cut however before you dismiss this as a trick for the wealthy, it's proposed that the lowest tax brackets be reduced from 10% to 5% and from 15% to 10% at the very bottom of the tax scale. That rate cut would put $500-$1200 a year in the pockets of the working poor for them to spend thus stimulating the economy and boosting jobs in a market based solution. "

$500 a year. Or about $42 a month. Wow. That is just so WHITE of you Republicans. You give away BILLIONS in corporate welfare to ADM and Monsanto, and then pretend $42 bucks a month is going to make some kind of difference to the millions of working poor.

You can take your "market-based solution" and shove it right up your small intestine.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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Wrong, they wanted tax cuts and spending cuts outside of the defense budget. Clintons average defense budget was 17% below GHWB's and in addition he shifted another 15% or so out of the standing army and into technology areas with overpriced sole source contracts. He overturned the winning low bid on LOGCAP and awarded the contract to Halliburton. Military manpower decreased from 2.1 million at the end of GHWBs administration to 1.6 million. the Army was cut from 18 divisions to 12. The Navy was reduced from 546 ships to 380. Air Force flight squadrons were cut from 76 to 50. He instituted a pay freeze on U.S. troops, 80 percent of whom earned $30,000 or less annually.

And again, that's not the point.

GWB didn't go into office screaming "Holy Fuck! We've got to rebuild our devastated military!" No. He played golf and pushed for tax cuts. After 9/11, that didn't change--they were gonna do this war thing on the cheap. They were that good, they told us. The spending came later, when they found they were arrogant fools.

And money was going inappropriate areas, like we were still in the cold war 30 years later. This is not rebuilding. This is not looking ahead. It's closing the barn door after the horse is gone.

Nor did Bush do shit for the troops or veterans.

Fact still is, we bizarrely outspend every other nation on the military. Not to mention the Dept. of Homeland Theater.

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ORIGINAL: willbeurdaddy
Tax cuts and non-defense spending cuts are good for the economy.

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no, thats exactly the point. Tax cuts and non-defense spending cuts are good for the economy. We outspend every other nation for a reason. You may not agree with that reason, but when the money is spent on rebuilding instead of maintaining its pissing money away.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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no, thats exactly the point. Tax cuts and non-defense spending cuts are good for the economy. We outspend every other nation for a reason. You may not agree with that reason, but when the money is spent on rebuilding instead of maintaining its pissing money away.

And you've yet again dodged the point.

Bush did not set out to rebuild the military. Even after 9/11, it was "we can do this on the cheap."

Further, we spend money on stuff we not only don't need, but that the Pentagon doesn't even want. Why? Guess.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

Sorry, but this is hardly a rebuilding: