You know what I like about you Pessimist? You're not bashful about your point of view.

I don't think we should "cut" programs, but I think we should slow the growth rate of programs. Maybe to slightly under CPI. Over time, economic growth would eliminate the deficit.

I think we need tax hikes, but not the kind you are suggesting. I think any tax hike needs to be broader based than just "tax the rich." Our tax system has become more and more progressive; that is, more taxes are being collected from fewer and fewer people. And look at the kind of problems that has help fostered in CA, where just a few thousand people were paying so much in taxes, that a swoon in the stock market caused state revenues to take a dive.

We need to think of broader measures. If we're going to increase tax brackets, increase all of them. Plus, this makes sure that all voters have a vested interest in tax policy when they go to the voting booth.

DAY IN THE LIFE OF JOE REPUBLICAN
Joe gets up at 6 a.m. and fills his coffeepot with water to prepare his morning coffee. The water is clean and good because some tree-hugging liberal fought for minimum water-quality standards. With his first swallow of water, he takes his daily medication. His medications are safe to take because some stupid commie liberal fought to ensure their safety and that they work as advertised. All but $10 of his medications are paid for by his employer's medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance - now Joe gets it too.
He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some girly-man liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry. In the morning shower, Joe reaches for his shampoo. His bottle is properly labeled with each ingredient and its amount in the total contents because some crybaby liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained.
Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some environmentalist wacko liberal fought for the laws to stop industries from polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his government-subsidized ride to work. It saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees because some fancy-pants liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.
Joe begins his work day. He has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some lazy liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed, he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some stupid liberal didn't think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune.
It's noontime and Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some godless liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Great Depression. Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae-underwritten mortgage and his below-market federal student loan because some elitist liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime. Joe is home from work.
He plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive. His car is among the safest in the world because some America-hating liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. His was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers' Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electricity until some big-government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification.
He is happy to see his father, who is now retired. His father lives on Social Security and a union pension because some wine-drinking, cheese-eating liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to.
Joe gets back in his car for the ride home, and turns on a radio talk show. The radio host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. He doesn't mention that the beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day. Joe agrees: "We don't need those big-government liberals ruining our lives! After all, I'm a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have."

Swiped from another blog, Kos I think.

Seemed appropriate

now with new improved snark

Of course, for Joe, the first three and one-half months were spent working for no salary. April 17th, 2005, was Tax Freedom Day. Joe smiles at this, because he knows this has improved under President Bush. Under President Clinton, Joe had to work until May 3rd in 2000 before he got to keep any of his hard-earned cash.

But under Bush, Joe's highpaying whitecollar job has been outsourced and he was laid off...losing all of his benefits. He recieved unemployment but those have long run out and now only makes only 1/3 of the salary he used to make without any benefits working at Wal-Mart. He took the job for some income while he continues his job hunt 2+ years. He recently went through all his savings and is living off of credit cards. His wife, was hospitalized and diagnosed with cancer. But having no medical insurance they cannot afford treatment...they borrowed some equity from their home to pay for the medical expenses but can no longer afford these payments and will declare bankruptcy .They better do it soon because Bush just signed into law and he will not be exempted from payments and will lose their home.

Reality Bites muck.

But having no medical insurance they cannot afford treatment...they borrowed some equity from their home to pay for the medical expenses but can no longer afford these payments and will declare bankruptcy .They better do it soon because Bush just signed into law and he will not be exempted from payments and will lose their home.

In 2008 are we going to have a land with the foreclosures of the 1930's, the gas lines and stagflation of the 1970's AND the continuing losses in jobs, health insurance and runaway deficets that this decade has brought? Let's see the noise machane spin this into sweetness and light. As Robert Plant once sang 'If it keeps on raining the levee's gonna break.'