This blog explores the contemporary political and cultural trends from a distinct perspective
Bolton must bolt if Bush is to live politically
Published on June 23, 2005 By Bahu Virupaksha In Politics
The Bolton nomination has once again got stuck in the Senate. By putting the entire weight of his political office behind him in the struggle to make Bolton his man at the UN, Bush has lost out politically. Seldom does a re-elected President lose ground politically so swiftly as did George Bush II. Bus and his neo conmen think that their narrow agenda will ispire the American people. Unfortunately they have seen through the game and are not responding. The War in Iraq is going very badly and there is no exit sttratregy still in place. The war in Afghanistan is slowly, but surely heating up. After lying low for nearly two years the Taliban is showing every sign of regathering its strength. The hunt for Bin Laden is going nowhere and Al Qeda is stronger than it ever was in the past. The patriot Act has eroded civil liberies in the USA and now the Big Brother even wants to monitor what you are reading. The FBI is trailing those taking more than a passing interest in West Asian culture and politics.

The men responsible for this sorry state of affairs do not seem to realise that the game of politics is based on more than mere rhetoric and grandstanding speeches. It is now emerging the even George Bush knew that the Iraqis lacked the weapons of Mass Destruction and that Bush and Blair together conspired to fool their people and take their nations to war over nothing.

Comments (Page 6)
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on Jul 07, 2005
As to the size of the deficit and the interest, in 1980 the interest on the debt was about $60 Billion. We are looking at $500 Billion after the Reagen and Bush Voodo Economic policies! That is over an 800 %(8X) increase which is far greater then inflation during that period!
on Jul 07, 2005

Drmiler

First Bush has understated the expected deficit by 50 Billion by only counting 30 of the 80 Billion for Iraq. He reduced the deficit by another 200 billion by deducting the 200 billion surplus from SS and Medicare. Using his so called revised estimate of 350 billion, after adding 250 billion for SS/Medicade and Iraq we are at 600 billion!


And just "HOW" does this refute the "Washington Post" article? I guess it DOESN'T! Let's try this again shall we?

From The Washington Post, headline is linked. More bad news for the folks that wish that the economy in the U.S. was tanking.... Buried in the Business section of the paper, rather than front page news, but still at least reported.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Link>Economic Growth, Tax Receipts Combine to Reduce Deficit


By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 2, 2005; Page D01

An unanticipated surge of tax payments may push the 2005 federal budget deficit as much as $100 billion below official forecasts, leaving Republicans to claim vindication in their theory that lowering tax rates actually boosts tax receipts.
In addition, this week the Commerce Department reported a solid economic growth rate of 3.8 percent for the first three months of 2005, an improvement on the earlier 3.5 percent estimate and more ammunition for Republican boasts that their tax cuts are the cause of this performance.
"Sustained, strong . . . growth confirms that our policies continue to boost the economy and tax revenues," said Rep. Jim Nussle (R-Iowa), chairman of the House Budget Committee.
But senior budget analysts, including the Republican who heads the Congressional Budget Office, cautioned this week that higher tax revenues may be a one-time phenomenon that in no way addresses the nation's grave deficit challenge.
Much of the increase could stem from temporary factors, said CBO director Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former Bush White House economist. The major corporate tax cut of 2004 provided a one-year "tax holiday" for multinational corporations to bring home overseas profits at a reduced tax rate, and companies may be responding aggressively. Also, a large tax break for business investment ended Dec. 31, effectively raising some corporate tax rates this year, Holtz-Eakin said.
Finally, strong stock market gains last year, coupled with lingering jitters from the market swoon of 2000, may have produced strong executive bonuses and a rush to cash in stocks and stock options, other economists said.
"I find it difficult to get as excited about this as some people" are, Holtz-Eakin said.
For longtime champions of supply-side economic theory, the excitement is palpable. Since the political rise of Ronald Reagan, such conservative economists have contended that cuts in income tax rates and in taxes on investment income would generate economic growth that would in turn produce more revenue, possibly enough to pay for the tax cuts. The theory was popularized by economist Arthur Laffer and his Laffer curve.
The government's take this tax season validates that theory, conservatives say. On a single day, June 15, the Treasury took in a record $61 billion. Through June 30, three-quarters of the way through the fiscal year, receipts indicate the Treasury will reap $80 billion to $100 billion more in taxes than the CBO predicted in January. Individual tax payments have risen 21 percent beyond their level at this time last year. Corporate tax receipts are 48 percent ahead.
Despite slightly higher-than-expected spending, the federal deficit could come in at $325 billion to $350 billion, significantly better than the White House's $427 billion projection or the CBO's $400 billion forecast. Some Wall Street economists say the deficit could be as low as $300 billion.
"The numbers are an eye-popping vindication of the Laffer curve and the Bush tax cut's real economic value," anti-tax activist Stephen Moore wrote in the Wall Street Journal.


Whether or NOT you took notice, they're coming in LOWER than what Bush said and waaaaay lower than what the CBO said. Now either refute this logically or find something ELSE to whine about!
on Jul 07, 2005
Whether or NOT you took notice, they're coming in LOWER than what Bush said and waaaaay lower than what the CBO said. Now either refute this logically or find something ELSE to whine about!


How many times have you posted this with no response from anybody?
on Jul 07, 2005

Whether or NOT you took notice, they're coming in LOWER than what Bush said and waaaaay lower than what the CBO said. Now either refute this logically or find something ELSE to whine about!


How many times have you posted this with no response from anybody?


I really don't know ID! But I'll continue to post it until they can either find a way to refute this logically or find something else to whine about! They seem to be ignoring that's this is fact! Not fiction or someones opinion.
on Jul 07, 2005
I really don't know ID! But I'll continue to post it until they can either find a way to refute this logically or find something else to whine about! They seem to be ignoring that's this is fact! Not fiction or someones opinion.


Facts is what they ignore. I think there are about three posts right now asking for proof of the allegations made against Bush, nobody has responded.
on Jul 07, 2005
Drmiler: I learned from the best about killing the messenger.
on Jul 07, 2005
Whether or NOT you took notice, they're coming in LOWER than what Bush said and waaaaay lower than what the CBO said. Now either refute this logically or find something ELSE to whine about!


The fact remains we are still talking about red figures.
on Jul 07, 2005
Whether or NOT you took notice, they're coming in LOWER than what Bush said and waaaaay lower than what the CBO said. Now either refute this logically or find something ELSE to whine about!


The fact remains we are still talking about red figures.


Like what was posted earlier, we will ALWAYS have red figures. How large they are is more to the point. Large=bad, Smaller=good! And since they're talking "smaller" I would imagine that's a good thing, yes?
on Jul 07, 2005
Drmiler\

What about the $200 Billion from SS and Medicare. What about the $50 billion Bush did not count from Iraq in his projection? No matter what you say, we are spending more then 1/2 Trillion dollars more then we collect in taxes!
on Jul 07, 2005

Drmiler\

What about the $200 Billion from SS and Medicare. What about the $50 billion Bush did not count from Iraq in his projection? No matter what you say, we are spending more then 1/2 Trillion dollars more then we collect in taxes!


Once AGAIN you miss the prime point! The figures stated are NOT Bush's figures! The figures are from the "COMMERCE DEPT." So what you are saying has absolutely NO meaning to the article posted! And so according to the "COMMERCE Dept." your WRONG again as per usual. Even the CBO admits to it, why won't you?
on Jul 07, 2005
Once AGAIN you miss the prime point!


Like the China deficit is financing the war?
on Jul 07, 2005
Is it me, or is Col G's defense in this "Debate" close to that of a broken record player.....just a thought...
on Jul 08, 2005
If you look at OMB or CBO, you will find, the estimates only include about $32 Billion supplemental for Iraq. That supplemental Bush requested and Congress approved was $82 Billion. That adds $50 Billion. None of the estimates exclude the $200 Billion surplus from SS and medicare which means they ALL understate the annual Federal deficit by the $200 Billion because they subtract the surplus from SS and Medicare from the Federal deficit (Unified Budget). There is NOTHING defensive in these facts it is the difference between fact and the fiction some JoeUsers want to be true. NO MATTER WHAT IS SAID, WE ARE SPENDING MORE THEN 1/2 Trillion more this year then will be collected in tax revenue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
on Jul 08, 2005
If you look at OMB or CBO, you will find, the estimates only include about $32 Billion supplemental for Iraq. That supplemental Bush requested and Congress approved was $82 Billion. That adds $50 Billion. None of the estimates exclude the $200 Billion surplus from SS and medicare which means they ALL understate the annual Federal deficit by the $200 Billion because they subtract the surplus from SS and Medicare from the Federal deficit (Unified Budget). There is NOTHING defensive in these facts it is the difference between fact and the fiction some JoeUsers want to be true. NO MATTER WHAT IS SAID, WE ARE SPENDING MORE THEN 1/2 Trillion more this year then will be collected in tax revenue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


BS!!! Yet AGAIN when confronted with evidence that you are WRONG once more! You try to dismiss the shown evidence as baloney because it doesn't fit into your bash Bush agenda. YOU'RE the one that's full of it! And you STILL miss the point! NO MATTER how you try to spin this we took more in in tax revenue than was expected! That in anyone's book (except yours of course) means the deficit will not be as large this year as was previously thought!
on Jul 08, 2005
--Dr. Miller, don't bother....COL will never concede.....
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