White House Budget Cuts LWCF by $120 Million

[Deleted member 18333]

Yes, out of the entire budget proposal the EPA cuts are the most concerning to me.

Out of the entire budget proposal the EPA cuts are the least concerning to me. Please don't equate EPA cuts with poor environmental quality.

 

[JM77]

You still pissed off about the latex probe? I hear the Donald is considering a northern border bandwidth wall and making Canada pay for it.

Now that's a big 10-4!

 

[Irrelevant]

I struggle with this overwhelming idea that paying taxes and paying for government anything is someone how bad for the economy. The government gets it's revenue from US sources then distributes it to other U.S. entities via grants and loans and direct salaries or retirements or whatever (mainly, some clearly does go overseas). The bulk of it still stays in the US economy, and overall doesn't contribute a dime to use falling behind on a global scale. It's basically neutral. If you want to look at where we're falling behind to other countries you have to look at when we actually give them money. Look at all the private companies that send boat loads good ole american dollars overseas for cheap consumer sh!t that they can turn around and sell to the consumercentric American sheepeople then take those profits and send them overseas again so they don't have to pay taxes. In this global economy our individual government deficit is a helluva lot less important than our total economic output/economic assets. The bigger picture is that we allow, hell even applaud, companies to send millions of american dollars to other countries just so they can employ a few hundred American workers. We should be pushing for massive subsidized R&D on the latest technology so that we are continually ahead of the market and are the ones exporting it for a profit instead of buying iphones from China that are two years behind.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Out of the entire budget proposal the EPA cuts are the least concerning to me. Please don't equate EPA cuts with poor environmental quality.

Until you have 50 states setting up their own chemical regulations, restricting which chemicals can be used, manufactured, and transported in each of the 50 states. And then a couple of the states saying product can't be shipped or grown or used with such and such a chemical.

And Industry having to comply with 50 different sets of regulations.

A huge cluster.

 

[npaden]

So spending $223 billion on interest payments on the debt is fine? And that is with an effective interest rate of just barely over 1%. When interest rates creep up to 2% or 3% will it be okay to be spending .5 Trillion on interest? That would be more than all the discretionary spending if you exclude defense. Even though a very large % of that interest being paid is being paid to foreign countries? There's a snowball rolling downhill and it is picking up steam.

 

[jryoung]

We should be pushing for massive subsidized R&D on the latest technology so that we are continually ahead of the market and are the ones exporting it for a profit instead of buying iphones from China that are two years behind.

26 U.S. Code § 41 - Credit for increasing research activities
26 U.S. Code § 199 - Income attributable to domestic production activities

 

[JoseCuervo]

So spending $223 billion on interest payments on the debt is fine? And that is with an effective interest rate of just barely over 1%. When interest rates creep up to 2% or 3% will it be okay to be spending .5 Trillion on interest? That would be more than all the discretionary spending if you exclude defense. Even though a very large % of that interest being paid is being paid to foreign countries? There's a snowball rolling downhill and it is picking up steam.

You know, you could always work on the Revenue side of the equation if you are worried about the debt and the deficit.

 

[LopeHunter]

Debt service is a beast that is just in its toddler years. npaden mentioned how staggering the debt service payment amount is and we are at very, very low borrowing rates unlikely to remain much longer. Not only Americans hold that debt so is not a closed loop as neffa3 proposed. Something has to be cut in what we spend going forward or a lot more has to be collected through taxes or asset sales. If an item was in last year's budget, it is important to one or more vocal groups. Every proposed cut will result in dire predictions. Sorting out which cuts will result in the sky falling vs. cuts which are merely painful vs. cuts that will barely be noticed other than the gravy train riders now kicked to the curb...well, that is all but impossible when everyone is Chicken Little at the first mention of a cut.

If you want to see how difficult it is for the Feds to cut a dime, look at military base closures. The hoop jumping and selection and validation was more convoluted than a group of kindergartners deciding what to name a new school being built. We spend a lot on the military complex. Future wars will be fought with bits of software code and pulses between major powers. North Korea, Pakistan and perhaps another country or two that seem likely to think launching a nuke attack is a good idea but China and Russia want more land and will wait for a weak American President to blink then take land. A few non-nation states would probably love to set off a nuke, if they can get one. The need for another carrier or wing of attack fighters is minimal in the future. The ability to jam up the electronics of a carrier or fighter jet is more important. When it comes to boots on the ground, a debtor nation such as America needs to think long and hard about being the military protection for any prosperous nation such as South Korea, Japan, etc. If South Korea needs to dial back its consumption to fund an American rent-an-army then so be it but otherwise the army should be code experts not rifle marksman.

 

[npaden]

You know, you could always work on the Revenue side of the equation if you are worried about the debt and the deficit.

I mentioned earlier that is going to take work on both sides to ever have hope of actually getting a handle on it.

 

[mfb99]

Cutting your way to prosperity is a farce perpetuated by wing-nuts who are being fooled by the one percent crowd.

We have clear examples of this in the state of Kansas that went down the road of cutting taxes on the rich and business along with taking the butcher knife to services, infrastructure and programs. What has been the result? One of the slowest growth economies in the country. Roads and bridges falling apart. Schools that can not get teachers because there is no money to pay them a decent wage. AND a budget deficit that is growing astronomically.

Many countries in Europe also went down this road to their regret. They are just now realizing their mistake and are starting to spend and invest.

Look, money cost almost nothing now, interest rates are historically low - it is a time to SPEND not cut.

Open your eyes, who is making the money? Wall Street, the Banks, Corporations and CEO's. Who is paying all the taxes? The middle class.

The REAL issue with the debt is that taxes are not HIGH enough and not paid by those who have all the money. All of the real money makers have fifty ways to not pay taxes and 50 ways to shelter their money.

We, those who actually pay our share need to fight like crazy against those that will try to pilfer and lay waste our public lands. If given a chance, the have's will be putting a frack well in Yosemite Valley.

Don't be fooled into believing the one percent folks have our interest in mind, they don't. Don't be fooled by wedge issues like second amendment rights while asking us to make all the sacrifices.

Especially don't be fooled into supporting the cutting of valuable and needed programs at the expense of continued corporate welfare and wasteful defense spending.

Being old enough to have lived through two stock market crashes and one near depression, I am dumbfounded that folks can still be fooled by the snake oil of "Trickle Down" economics. It is a farce!

Time to take the gloves off and fight for our public lands. Call your representatives, send emails, go to protests, give money to organizations like Back Country Hunters and Anglers. And, pick up a few spent shot shells left on the ground by some of those who don't care..............

Cheers,

Mark

 

[npaden]

Who is paying all the taxes? The middle class.

The REAL issue with the debt is that taxes are not HIGH enough and not paid by those who have all the money.

Cheers,

Mark

Much of the rest of your comments are opinion and you are entitled to them. This part of your comments is just not factual at all.

Those darn 1% folks paid 37% of all income taxes for 2013. The next 9% paid 26% of income taxes, so combined the top 10% paid 63% of all income taxes.

How exactly is the middle class paying "all the taxes" if the to 10% are actually paying well over half of them even if you include employment taxes.

Their rates are higher, the amount they pay in is higher, the only thing lower is that there are a lot fewer of them.

You are entitled to your opinion, but try to stick with the facts at least loosely.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Much of the rest of your comments are opinion and you are entitled to them. This part of your comments is just not factual at all.

Those darn 1% folks paid 37% of all income taxes for 2013. The next 9% paid 26% of income taxes, so combined the top 10% paid 63% of all income taxes.

How exactly is the middle class paying "all the taxes" if the to 10% are actually paying well over half of them even if you include employment taxes.

Their rates are higher, the amount they pay in is higher, the only thing lower is that there are a lot fewer of them.

You are entitled to your opinion, but try to stick with the facts at least loosely.

What amount of income did that 1% and 9% have?

What amount of the wealth did that 1% and 9% have?

And you really want sympathy?


As I once heard, "You are entitled to your opinion, but try to stick with the facts at least loosely".

 

[mfb99]

npaden

Ah..........

Taken in by the snake oil!

You like many miss the point, it is not how much tax is paid it is the percentage paid by the individual.

The rich, have Wayyyyyyyy more income and pay much less in tax percentage. Many rich individuals can reduce their rate to some crazy low level, remember Mitt Romney's 14 percent rate, same with corporations that have loop holes and shelters.

I like most middle class also pay much more in other taxes like sales tax.

Here is just a short list of mult-million dollar companies that pay NO taxes:

Level 3
United Continental
American Air Lines
GM
Hewlett Packard
E-Trade
Micro Chip Tech
Ventas
PG&E
First Solar
Weyehouser
Citrix System
News Corp

Etc, etc

And of course Apple owes $15 B in unpaid taxes

Here is the key, and something that you do not hear on Fox News.......... The one percent, own more wealth than the bottom 90%.

Myself, I don't like having important programs cut for the benefit of the rich, I don't like having my public lands threatened. I learned a long time ago to stop falling for the one percenter's snake oil of trickle down economics. I also spent over 20 years working at big defense contractors and I know what corporate welfare is..........

As one of my professors in college said, "Trust in God, all others bring data"

Cheers,

Mark

 

[jryoung]

I like most middle class also pay much more in other taxes like sales tax.

Here is just a short list of mult-million dollar companies that pay NO taxes:

You highlight a brilliant point, cherry picked companies that may have had a zero tax bill, likely due to previous NOLs and or tax credits, also pay other taxes like employment taxes, sales and use taxes, property taxes, and other local taxes.

 

[sbhooper]

The amount of leftist snowflakes has become stifling on this site. I am SICK OF IT! It is incredible that some of you call yourselves Americans!! Our debt is out of control and ALL things have to be cut, except the military, which has been badly defunded by Oblowme. You douches need to get yourself under control and realize that your precious ideals are under attack, as are everything else. Liberal "throw money at it" policies have come home to roost and now we are paying for it! GET OVER IT SNOWFLAKES!

You people need to get a grip and understand that your nirvana is over and there is someone in charge that actually CARES for this country. He is going to continue to slash, because this country has so over-bloated all of its programs and spoiled everyone, that now it is considered a RIGHT to have all of your pet crap funded. ITS OVER!!!

The EPA and other agencies have ruined people's lives long enough and need to be jerked into line. YES we need environmental controls, but within reason to keep the economy in mind also. You cannot believe the stupid shit that I went through just to get a gravel pit on my property, when 10 years ago, no one would have questioned it. BS!!! It is time for this outrage to stop!

Anybody that likes the continuation of socialist nonsense has the option to go to a SOCIALIST country! You do not need to live here if you do not like it. IT IS TIME TO CHANGE, or we are all sunk-PERMANENTLY!

SOOOOOO, get over it, all you hypocrites that own guns and worry about single issues. Get your heads out of your asses and look at the big picture for once. There are bigger things at stake here, than how many people can stomp across a 1,000 acres of public land etc.

I will stand beside what is going on, because to me-unlike many here obviously-I CARE about our future and realize that although I may not like it, THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE or we are gone for GOOD!

I paid over $19,000 in income tax this year and it sickens me that it is being pissed away on stupid shit that needs to be cut back, or done away with because no one can stand to have their pet BS slashed, or done away with.

I AM SICK OF IT!

I shall post here no more. This site is a wealth of information to the new, wide-eyed people yearning for a western experience and help on a number of other issues. I get that and I have done my best to contribute, but I am sick and tired of seeing pure trash posted on here by Tequila and other, that absolutely assaults what this country needs to put everything back in line.

Adios, amigos y que te vaya bien. Ya sali'.

 

[jryoung]

Our debt is out of control and ALL things have to be cut, except the military, which has been badly defunded by Oblowme.

Isn't the decrease in military spending during Obama's second term largely attributable to decrease in troops and infrastructure in Iraq and Afghanistan. Meaning, investment and R&D spend is still on par?

 

[jryoung]

I AM SICK OF IT!....I shall post here no more.

snow meet flake...ice meet heat....pot meet kettle?

 

[MTGomer]

You can't be fiscally conservative and want more absurd military spending.

To claim that military spending shouldn't be cut is absurd. We are waging atleast 3 unconsitutional wars (not declared by congress) at this very moment. We have bases all over the world. We can have the best military in the world, and have to use it alot less if we would mind our own business. Minding our own business would result in big savings.

 

[Oneye]

snow meet flake...ice meet heat....pot meet kettle?

Agreed, amazing how those calling others snowflakes melt away the fastest.

Sb, when Trump actually does something productive with cuts I'll support it. You don't barely cut spending, significantly lower taxes, and not add more to the debt. I agree the government is out of control on spending, but nothing's going to happen until it's a dramatic crash or issue. Want to lower spending? Cut social security and slash military. That's the truth you don't want to hear. Truth is, several agencies have been underfunded over the years. The military is half of our entire spending. If you truly wanted to make a difference you would admit and agree that's where the most progress on spending can be made. Again, your being the snowflake of you can't admit that because you don't want to hear it. That doesn't mean I want to see the military cut, but lets be real here. Most spending equals the most to cut, and that's where it's at. Debts gonna keep going up until there are terrible consequences. I don't like it either, but that's the reality.

 

[Straight Arrow]

I don't like it either, but that's the reality.

Who wants facts or reality? Come on man, don't mess with my political ideology.