Rebellab Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 The wife got sick of watching American Dad on Fox last night, so we compromised so that I could watch the Simpsons, Family Guy etc. We ended up watch 60 Minutes, and they had a piece on this guy. I am sure Wiegie knows all about this, but it was very interesting. US Comptroller David Walker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muck Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Hmmm. Sounds like a dynamic third-party candidate (fiscally responsible, socially moderate, internationally respected) could do well in the next cycle. Unless, of course, average Americans want to keep electing other average Americans to the House, the Senate and the White House. We will need an exceptional leader to carry the day on this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Hmmm. Sounds like a dynamic third-party candidate (fiscally responsible, socially moderate, internationally respected) could do well in the next cycle. Unless, of course, average Americans want to keep electing other average Americans to the House, the Senate and the White House. We will need an exceptional leader to carry the day on this... I would vote for this 3rd party candidate you propose. However, I don't think he'd get elected because he'd have to tell the truth (good leaders sometimes have to do this). Meanwhile, the repub and the dem candidate would be yelling that Mr. 3rd party is going to take away health benefits for the elderly. The elderly definitely get out and vote and they aren't voting for anyone who's taking away their benefits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spain Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 "The cancer, Walker says, are massive entitlement programs we can no longer afford, exacerbated by a demographic glitch that began more than 60 years ago-- a dramatic spike in the fertility rate called the "baby boom." The liberals arent going to let anyone touch their sacred cow of entitlement programs, thats for sure. "Asked what he means by that, Walker tells Kroft, "By that I mean that the Medicare problem is five times greater than the Social Security problem." The problem with Medicare, Walker says, is people keep living longer, and medical costs keep rising at twice the rate of inflation. But instead of dealing with the problem, he says, the president and the Congress made things much worse just three years ago when they expanded the Medicare program to include prescription drug coverage. "The prescription drug bill was probably the most fiscally irresponsible piece of legislation since the 1960s," Walker argues." More liberal spending that is out of control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spain Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Walker says we have promised almost unlimited health care to senior citizens who never see the bills, and the government already is borrowing money to pay them. He says the system is unsustainable. "It's the number one fiscal challenge for the federal government, it's the number one fiscal challenge for state governments and it's the number one competitive challenge for American business. We're gonna have to dramatically and fundamentally reform our health care system in installments over the next 20 years," Walker tells Kroft. I definitely agree with this.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spain Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Meanwhile, the repub and the dem candidate would be yelling that Mr. 3rd party is going to take away health benefits for the elderly. The elderly definitely get out and vote and they aren't voting for anyone who's taking away their benefits. The Democrats resort to this fear mongering every single election, claiming the Repubs are going to cut their social security checks. This is nothing new... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebellab Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 Stop it. I would like this to stick around long enough for our economist to comment. The way Spain is pounding away, this will be locked by supper time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 "The prescription drug bill was probably the most fiscally irresponsible piece of legislation since the 1960s," Walker argues." More liberal spending that is out of control. I know that most of what you post is fishing in these discussions [and sometimes debate for debate's sake]. However, wasn't the prescription bill signed into law by GWB after passing through the republican congress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spain Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I know that most of what you post is fishing in these discussions [and sometimes debate for debate's sake]. However, wasn't the prescription bill signed into law by GWB after passing through the republican congress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 The Democrats resort to this fear mongering every single election, claiming the Repubs are going to cut their social security checks. This is nothing new... Again, Spain, both sides are guilty of this and it is disingenous at best to assert otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I just like the fact that that author was a realist: more taxes need to be collected, and spending (beyond just waste, fraud, and entitlement programs) need to be curtailed, in order to address the budget deficit. Common sense, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xMRogers Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 if you saw the piece, wasn't a liberal/cons issue - entitlements he's talking about aren't the normal ones everyone gets up in arms about. It's social security/medicare and it's all about the baby boomers. What's funny is the night of the superbowl, me (36) and my mom and her friend (59 and 58 I beleive) we're talking about this, and I was arguing that the right vs left debates these days are going to look like tiddlywinks compared to the "old" vs young ones in about 15 years. Every election from 2012 to 2028 (at least) will be decided on the issues that go into the aging of the boomer class. I will say without a doubt the person who wins the white house in 2012 will be the one who most caters to the boomer generation (will start with simple assurances, but by 2020 will be the number one issue in the race), and then at some point aroudn 2026 someone will start comign out going the other way as the demographics turn. I also commented on social security and how my generation thinks of it as somethign that will mostly be gone for us and is something we pay into for our parent and grandparents while their generation (after having paid into for 40 years) sees it as an income source (rightfully so). It's an underreported story in my mind and will be one that dominates the political landscape over the next 2 decades. (btw, typing years like 2026 is REALLY weird - I expect to see "with our laser guns and jetpacks" after that) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muck Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Maybe soon we will have our third party ... we'll be the land of the Democrats, the Republicans and the Blue Hair Brigade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaP'N GRuNGe Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 "The cancer, Walker says, are massive entitlement programs we can no longer afford, exacerbated by a demographic glitch that began more than 60 years ago-- a dramatic spike in the fertility rate called the "baby boom." The liberals arent going to let anyone touch their sacred cow of entitlement programs, thats for sure. "Asked what he means by that, Walker tells Kroft, "By that I mean that the Medicare problem is five times greater than the Social Security problem." The problem with Medicare, Walker says, is people keep living longer, and medical costs keep rising at twice the rate of inflation. But instead of dealing with the problem, he says, the president and the Congress made things much worse just three years ago when they expanded the Medicare program to include prescription drug coverage. "The prescription drug bill was probably the most fiscally irresponsible piece of legislation since the 1960s," Walker argues." More liberal spending that is out of control. Uh sorry Espana. The prescription drug bill with its clause of no government negotiation of spam prices was the spawn of the Republican controlled congress, white house, and it's big spam lobbyist buddies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perchoutofwater Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Uh sorry Espana. The prescription drug bill with its clause of no government negotiation of spam prices was the spawn of the Republican controlled congress, white house, and it's big spam lobbyist buddies. Do you really think he didn't know that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I saw part of it--we were eating dinner while it was on. I'm trying to watch it again right now. I'll comment when it's done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I saw part of it--we were eating dinner while it was on. I'm trying to watch it again right now. I'll comment when it's done. How's dinner by the way ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I saw part of it--we were eating dinner while it was on. I'm trying to watch it again right now. I'll comment when it's done. Actually, there's really not much for me to add. It's a sobering problem that needs to be taken seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I just like the fact that that author was a realist: more taxes need to be collected, and spending (beyond just waste, fraud, and entitlement programs) need to be curtailed, in order to address the budget deficit. Common sense, really. You've got to spend money to make money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.