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Sunday, July 8, 2012 | 2 a.m.
What do you think?
Send us a letter c/o Letters to the Editor, Las Vegas Sun, 2360 Corporate Circle, Third Floor, Henderson, NV 89074. Or send a letter via email: letters@lasvegassun.com.A sobering question was posed to us this week: When future historians look back at this period in American history, what will they say?
This is a difficult time for America, with serious issues facing the country. It will take leadership to move ahead, yet we haven’t seen that in Washington; instead, the nation is stuck in partisan gridlock, unable to take bold and decisive action. Unfortunately, blind ideology, pushed by Republican leaders in Congress, has ruled. The result is that little has been accomplished.
Two respected political scholars, Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute and Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution, recently issued a blistering critique of Washington, saying the dysfunction was the worst they had seen in more than 40 years of work. Although they note that both parties have played games, they say the “core of the problem lies with the Republican Party,” which they call “an insurgent outlier in American politics” due to its extremism.
In recent essays and a new book, “It’s Even Worse Than It Looks,” Ornstein and Mann say such extremism has pushed the nation further from finding solutions to the its problems. It’s not hard to figure out why. Consider how far apart the parties are on a few issues.
• Jobs: President Barack Obama has wanted to expand federal programs to build highways and other infrastructure projects as a way to boost employment; the Republicans have balked at the cost and have instead demanded tax cuts, which have never proven to be an economic elixir. The resulting impasse has resulted in stalled growth and a lackluster economic recovery.
• Debt: Democrats have made offers to start cutting the nation’s tremendous debt. Republicans have refused and held out because they say the offers aren’t big enough. Last year, some Republicans said they would reject a deal in which they received $10 in spending cuts for every $1 in new revenue. And don’t forget the games the GOP played on the debt ceiling that resulted in a downgrade of the nation’s credit rating, which hasn’t help anyone. In the meantime, the debt continues to climb.
• Health care: Democrats celebrated the Supreme Court’s ruling that upheld the Affordable Care Act with its ruling this month, which means millions of Americans will be able to obtain health insurance and see a doctor. Republicans, including presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney, have vowed to repeal the law. As we have noted before, the law is far from perfect and needs to be improved, but if Republicans do repeal the law, what will they do to help? They’ve provided no way forward.
We could go on through the issues, but the situation is clear: There are real problems that aren’t being addressed because of the all-or-nothing attitude that has overtaken Washington.
The nation didn’t get into this situation overnight, and it won’t get out of it overnight either. It’s going to take a long, sustained effort, but Americans have been known for their ability to work together and find solutions to accomplish major tasks.
However, if something doesn’t change soon, and if people don’t start finding ways to compromise and work together, we hesitate to consider what future historians will have to say. It won’t be good.
The Sun blames the Republican for everything. Saying " Jobs: President Barack Obama has wanted to expand federal programs to build highways and other infrastructure projects as a way to boost employment"
--------
Congress has passed the majority of bills in Obama's jobs agenda - so why is Obama whining and complaining
-- Congress passed the 2.3% payroll tax rate reduction putting nearly $200 billion into the 2012 economy
-- Congress passed the student loan interest rate bill to keep the rate at 3.4%
-- Congress passed the highway transit bill releasing $110 billion in construction jobs
-- Congress passed the small business relief act to back off the stifling Dodd-Frank rules
Plus -- The House has passed over 30 jobs bills that Harry Reid and Obama refuse to act on.
What Obama still wants is to expand local, State, and Federal governments by hiring more temporary government Union Workers who will sit around doing nothing for a year and hope another bill will be passed next year funding them. And then their is the funding of green companies that keep going bankrupt.
Speaking of 'green' - as long as we're just 'sitting around doing nothing,' why not enjoy it a little, eh, future??
http://www.examiner.com/article/uruguay-...
But in a more serious vein, the findings and shared conclusions of such well-respected and diverse historians are nothing to dismiss. In fact the extremism of the current herd of elephants has effectively dismantled progress, stifled our economy, and the blame is residing primarily within the republican camp.
Many of my elephant friends are ashamed of what has overtaken reason, citizenship and partisanship - and it is simply stated as irreconcilable extremism. Many are asking "What kind of party have we become if nobody wants to show up because of all the shameless butt-heads packing heat?"
"Where is the sense of shared purpose?"
"Why is there no longer a bigger purpose, a free and brave country where a respectful dialogue and an honorable compromise can further our compassionate society?"
"How could we have allowed our vision to become so blurred that decency and humanity have been forced out and selfishness now dictates?"
The sobering question is: Will there be any AMERICAN citizens that are historians who can look back? Extremism: zero interest rates for years, massive deficit spending, increasing ineffective welfare programs, hyping the "value" of an education, hyping the same old things that haven't worked.
Liberal lies as usual with the usual suspects of Georage Soros funded entities. Bla...bla. bla.. the endless crap from the extreme progressive socialist.
The "lets work together" is a leftist code word for conseratives to fully accept socialist ideas.
Thank you Reps for atleast slowing down the "fundamental change of America" into another tired broke european welfare state.
Check Harry Reid's inbox if you want to get things moving.
BTW, how's the billions squandered on 'green energy' moved the economy? Or the job-killin, all buck, no benefit EPA regs?
I suggest that the path to stability, harmony and trust will be charted by those inspired by fair media, that peoples champion and conscience of nations holding history of inspiring citizens to gather overwhelming public opinion in order to force needed changes!
We must once again scrutinize media ownership, seeking opportunities for conflict of interest and threat to the concept of democracy.
Yawn, the weekly "gridlock" and how come Republicans won't do what Democrats demand column from the Democrat party shills at the LVSun.
Vidi: Do the math. Something has to give. Taxing extended to confiscating the entire net worth of the 1% would put only a SMALL DENT in the deficit. So where do we cut spending?
Roslenda show the meat of your figures to the NV citizens.
Opinions are virtually worthless unless you have some figures to substantiate your opinion.
Corporate tax rates, then and now.http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2011/04/corporate-tax-rates-then-and-now
Corporate taxes as a percentage of federal revenue:
1955-----27.3%
2010----- 8.0%
Corporate taxes as a percentage of GDP:
1955-----4.3%
2010-----1.3%
Individual income as a percent of federal revenue:
1955-----58%
2010-----81.5%
Billionaire Warren Buffet's tax rate is 17.7% and the twenty people in his office pay a tax rate of 30-40%.
Warren Buffet and other very rich Americans want their tax rates increased but the radical extremist so-called republicans say no, no. no! They use the slogans 'no new taxes, or tax cuts' to extort votes from the American citizens. When they do get tax cuts, those cuts go mainly to the rich and very rich.
In 2010, 25 hedge fund managers made $1,000,000,000 and their tax rate is 15%. They can defer those taxes until they pay nothing.
What is you tax rate?
Looks like another 'green energy' company circling the drain.
"A geothermal energy company with a $98.5 million loan guarantee from the Obama administration for an alternative energy project in Nevada -- which received hearty endorsements from Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid -- faces financial problems, and the company's auditors have questioned whether it can stay in business.
Much like Solyndra LLC, a California solar-panel manufacturer with a $535 million federal loan guarantee that went bankrupt, Nevada Geothermal Power (NGP) has incurred $98 million in net losses over the past several years, has substantial debts and does not generate enough cash from its current operations after debt-service costs, an internal audit said."
And the Sun thinks this is the way to go to grow the economy. Hey, it's only taxpayer money.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012...
"The company was in danger of defaulting on its financial obligation, and the [Department of Energy's] assistance served as a de facto bailout,"
BTW, did anybody check it's campaign contributions? Money laundering - Mob style.
Earth to Vidi, income and capital gains are taxed at different rates. Can you guess why, other than to create a dimbotard talking point for the entitlement class?
Do the math rather than just throw out a goobley goook opinion.
Are you a middle school dropout?
The editorial was spot on except for the last 3 paragraphs that were a fair and balanced rationalization.
Name names and let the chips fall where they should!
The future will look back on how Obama killed the medical device industry by taxing it overseas to fund ObummaRationing.
http://www.wthr.com/story/18742107/new-t...
Obama laser-like focus on job-killin and over-regulatin continues...but don't expect the Sun to connect the dots. Oh yea, the repeal of the tax is in Sen Reid's inbox.
Job killing taxes,and too much regulation is just more of the same lies the so-called republicans put out every time they run for election.
Explain those job killing taxes, and too much regulation in detail.
The bush/cheny illegal administration and the financial and housing sectors went all in on their narrow minded ideology of totally unregulated and look what happened--they wrecked the economy and it will take decades to recover.
Taxes for the rich and very rich individuals and corporations have been cut to the bone and still no job creation. They are setting on over $2,000,000,000,000 and not reinvesting in America.
The radical extremist republicans and the corporate fraudsters are not just criminals, they are stupid and decadent criminals.
I suggest that the path to stability, harmony and trust will be charted by those inspired by fair media, that peoples champion and conscience of nations holding history of inspiring citizens to gather overwhelming public opinion in order to force needed changes!
It is time to end the meme indoctrination of our nation.
For any true changes to take place in politics, we need a collective deconditioning from the strategic meme political viruses.
Bring freedom to the minds of the populous!
We are living in the Cancer Stage of Capitalism. A gridlock governance is but one symptom of the disease.
How bad is the condition of the host? so bad one side of the made-up political equation is running a guy who basically knows how to operate massive PONZI schemes. They call that "successfully running a business". This same idiot created in his state what Obama used as a blueprint for his version of this Health Care scam coined Obamacare. The made-up opponents now rail each other over what both of them created.
There is no actual division here. Both parties are proxies for the Disease. The disease being Capitalism. An economic elixir so volatile that without strong controls it ends up devouring all it touches. Sadly most of the controls have now been stripped away and many are calling to unleash the beast completely. Ironically the more naive actually believe the problem is too much control. Some would call the billion spent on the SEC for example, an overreach. One billion to regulate markets which trade 100x on a daily basis is considered over-regulation.
Most of the patient has already died now. The only question now is how long before the disease consumes the rest?
Cancer Stage of Capitalism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPeondgbf...
More Obumma over-regulatin. This time eliminating Injun jobs. There unemployment rate is only 36%. Way to go dumbocrats. What does Obamma have against the Windtalkers anyway? Is he a racist?
"The federal government is a bull that has found yet another china shop, this time in Arizona. It seems determined to inflict, for angelic motives and progressive goals, economic damage on this state. And economic and social damage on American Indians, who over the years have experienced quite enough of that at Washington's hands.
The gain from this pain? The most frequently cited study says "research to date ... is inconclusive as to whether" there would be "any perceptible improvement in visibility at the Grand Canyon and other areas of concern." The Environmental Protection Agency says the Navajo Generating Station is "near" 11 national parks, several of which are 175 miles distant."
Obumma Regs. All buck. No bang.
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2012/ju...
Many of us in this nation have moved on. We either have foreclosed,short saled or refinanced our homes. We understand that having a job with less is ok just as long as we have one. Many are tired of the same thing over and over about repealing healthcare,can't balance the budgets in our states while giving the rich more tax cuts because they have done nothing to boost the economy etc.. Sounding like a broken record already.
This society rewards criminality. The last thing you want to be is honest, hardworking, charitable, loyal, and a worker and saver.
The love affair with Money is an indication of Class warfare. Demeaning real work is another. The constant attack on Collective Bargaining is another. The never ending division through national debates over taxation (or Health Care taxes) is another. The pitting of the American worker against illegal immigrants another. To lay the blame for all this on Obama is giving that idiot way too much credit.
Mitt Romney "made" his money several ways. All of them involve some form of asset manipulation. None of them involve traditional work. One doesn't succeed again by doing it the right way. Now Mitt wants the biggest Lobbying job in the World. That is how Obama has "made" his loot, as Pimp in Charge.
Since 2008 not 10 people have been prosecuted and sent to jail for what amounts to the largest Bank Robbery in recorded history. Reason? crooks don't prosecute crooks it is an oath they take.
Americans are tired. Americans by and large have already been defeated. We play in a rigged market, the table is severely tilted. There are real reasons the rolls of those who simply want a handout are rising rapidly. People want out of the rigged game. Has nothing to do with being lazy at all. It has to do with a system in the Cancer stage. If you can't beat then join them.
Our big economic problem is the contraction of the middle class and its earning power. Companies are awash with cash right now, and would be willing to invest in more workers IF they saw the demand. The tax rate and even health care costs have nothing to do with their decision to hire. If there is a demand for their products, they WILL hire to fill that demand. This means we need to put more money in the hands of the middle class (and lower class). The best way to do this is to 1. Continue the middle class tax cut. 2. Increase government spending on infrastructure projects to create jobs and ultimately make our economy our efficient (better roads, trains, ports, airports, etc.). To do this in a cost neutral way, we need to increase taxes on the upper class, and eliminate tax loopholes for individuals and corporations.
Here is a lifeline for Red Rocky - swish - missed it eh? Well so did your propaganda! Go Obama Go!!!
Thank you stepfenrblv and notacon for very good comments.
That's 3 good contributors for my reading today so far.
In times like this I always think about Obama and how he and the politically connected will get better health care then the rest of us. Spend, Baby, Spend!
What historians will say is that this was the run up to the 2nd Civil War.
Re Red Rocky. Another GOP apologist taking up valuable space with your FOX/Limbaugh screeds. You and Roslenda giving us all a left,right,left combination of right wing crap. How about some answers to your own questions? Some ideas on how to do things more effectively. What would Bishop Mitt do besides the same old GOP boilerplate: lower taxes for the "job creators", cutting the deficit with no revenue for government (the Norquist agenda), massive defense spending to confront the boogeyman of tomorrow (where exactly does that money come from?). The list goes on and on...still with no solutions, only hyperbole and rhetoric. Get a grip.
To my fellow bloggers,
What will historians say about this time in our country's history books? I venture to say they will publish that "America used to be great, but not now.", "America used to be moral and righteous and looked out for their neighbor, but not now," "America used to be the leader and an example for other countries follow suit, but not now." This generation will be pitied for what it will have to endure because of this con-man in the white house. Just an old cop reflecting,
Gordon Martines.............curre.org
I cannot believe that anyone in this present administration has taken a single economics or finance course or even learned to balance a budget.
If I am in error than I can only conclude that our
President and his Senate truly want to bankrupt this country and bring it to a status on par with much inferior countries as Spain, France, Greece, etc. We should explore bringing back the gold standard for the U.S. dollar. Thanks tricky Dicky Nixon! See what you have wrought!
Calling people un-American and traitors will not resolve our problems. We at a point in time that is detrimental to all. Kudos to John McCain for standing up and defending Americans being targeted.
@GordonMartines,
Thanks for your service in the public sector and a great post at 2:16pm.
An economics or a financial course would do our politicians well. Obviously most have not taken one or they cannot comprehend simple arithmetic. Why would anyone spend money on solar or wind generated power, with little or no economic return? It is much more economical to use coal or natural gas. This country will be a net energy exporter in 2020 and it will not be due to solar or wind. Balance the budget first - energy alternatives later.
I agree with Goodman. Historians will either reflect that it is a run-up to the 2nd War of Northern Aggression or that most Americans had more shovel ready projects in their back yards, provided by their dogs, than provided by the so-called merits of the last stimulus package.
Once again, the Las Vegas Sun has it all wrong, what else is new?
JOBS: President Obama's jobs programs, infrastrcture projects, are nothing more than stimulus packages. America has been done this road before, the trouble is the Las vegas Sun has a selective memory. The $875 billion stimulus passed in 2009 did not keep unemployment from exceeding 8% and there never were any "shovel ready" jobs as even the President admitted. Its cost is part of the now $15 trillion debt America owes. Memory coming back, Las Vegas Sun?
DEBT: President Obama and Senator Harry Reid have not offered any solid, concrete proposals to decrease government spending and lower the debt. They caused the first default in our nation's history by refusing to make any tough decisions and hard choices. However, when you have made a career out of spending other people's money and buying votes by seeing how much you can throw around, it isn't surprising.
HEALTH CARE: A majority of Americans are against the Patient Care and Affordability Act, known as Obama Care, as most polls show, however once again the Las Vegas Sun isn't paying attention. By labeling this a tax, or a penalty, depending on what day of the week it is, the Obama administration has presided over one of the largest tax increases in the history of the Nation. He could care less if it is labeled a tax or a penalty, as long as it was passed. The only thing you are correct about is that this legislation has some good points, i.e. removing limits and not being able to deny patients with pre existing conditions. However, when you take into consideration that it takes $500 billion away from Medicare, from individuals who really need these services and authorizes the federal government to hire as many as 15,000 Internal Revenue agents to enforce it, this law needs to be repealed. The GOP has offered being able to purchase health insurance across state lines and getting rid of frivolous law suits which, in the end, will save people money. But, once again, the Las Vegas Sun isn't paying attention. In addition, if it is cheaper, which it will be at least in 2014 & 2015 to pay the fine/penalty, rather than purchase health insurance, people will do it. Then, when a medical situation occurs, it is right back to the emergency room, so what has been solved? Absolutely nothing, except the federal government gets more of your money, which is what this is all about anyway.
CONCLUSION: The Las Vegas Sun should really look and observe all of the facts regarding these issues instead of falling hook, line and sinker for all of President Obama's lies and distortions. Then, just maybe, some credibility and truthfulness can be displayed in future editorials.