View Full Version : Budget ceiling, disaster relief and wall funding
flowerseverywhere
8-29-17, 9:05pm
I generally don't watch too much TV, especially the news) but i have been watching flood updates. I imagine from what we have all seen, the amount of Money Texas (and possibly Louisiana depending on the storm) will need is staggering. Once Congress comes back on September 5 they only have about six weeks to address the budget ceiling. Add to that funds for the border wall (the one Mexico was going to pay for), disaster relief, and I see fireworks.
I don't imagine we will hear much about health care, despite going on eight years of promises to repeal and replace. This should be one of the most dramatic, emotionally charged times we have seen. One of the things that has been mentioned was the Texas Senators holding up the Sandy relief. They did it for a reason ( which you may or may not agree with) but they are really going to get a lot of abuse.
What at a mess. But a very important time.
Yes, it's a mess. :( And it's not a good feeling to not feel safe with people in charge.
I don't see how the fiscal conservatives are going to justify the expenses that are adding up. Not just the wall and the flood aid, but increases in military spending and infrastructure, and at the same time wanting to cut taxes.
With this president I think gridlock is a wonderful thing. The less he gets done the better, including giving properties back to the Russians so they can spy on us.
BikingLady
8-30-17, 5:41pm
Does anyone want the wall? Is the US going to pay for that now? Guess my no tv and mostly stopped reading the news has left me in the dark. Yes Poor TX:(
Does anyone want the wall? Is the US going to pay for that now? Guess my no tv and mostly stopped reading the news has left me in the dark. Yes Poor TX:(
Humans will find a way around or under it; migrating animals, not so much. The wall is just another symbol of failure, and will be an expensive boondoggle.
I don't see how the fiscal conservatives are going to justify the expenses that are adding up. Not just the wall and the flood aid, but increases in military spending and infrastructure, and at the same time wanting to cut taxes.
Garrison Keillor had a great opinion piece in the Washington Post: "When Red States get the Blues."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/when-a-red-state-gets-the-blues/2017/09/05/57a5461a-9254-11e7-aace-04b862b2b3f3_story.html?tid=pm_opinions_pop&utm_term=.37d013a1b046
They hate paying taxes (and in Houston's case, zoning laws) but they run to the federal government when disaster strikes.
What's the current size of the US military budget?
flowerseverywhere
9-7-17, 6:01am
What's the current size of the US military budget?
a lot. Over 600 billion dollars? Way more than any other country spends.
What's the current size of the US military budget?
Out of total federal spending, 15.4% goes to Defense, 6.2% to interest on the debt, 70.5% to social spending and about 8% to everything else.
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-09-06/americans-have-no-idea-where-their-tax-dollars-go
Williamsmith
9-7-17, 9:07am
Garrison Keillor had a great opinion piece in the Washington Post: "When Red States get the Blues."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/when-a-red-state-gets-the-blues/2017/09/05/57a5461a-9254-11e7-aace-04b862b2b3f3_story.html?tid=pm_opinions_pop&utm_term=.37d013a1b046
They hate paying taxes (and in Houston's case, zoning laws) but they run to the federal government when disaster strikes.
It is a shame to see Mr. Keillor become such a croutchety old fart. Especially hypocritical is the pithy way he chides others for accepting national government disaster funds after he has spent nearly a half century sucking at the teat of government subsidy. He left out Californians who have settled on the San Andreas fault, Oklahomans who live in Tornando Alley and any state whose territory has coastal settlements.....like New Jersey (remember Sandy). Perhaps he could produce a map of acceptable locations and a prescription for proper politics. That would helpful. Or just retire to the mythical Lake Wobegon where perhaps the only charity needed is the delivery of a warm apple pie on a frost covered morning.
It is a shame to see Mr. Keillor become such a croutchety old fart. Especially hypocritical is the pithy way he chides others for accepting national government disaster funds after he has spent nearly a half century sucking at the teat of government subsidy. He left out Californians who have settled on the San Andreas fault, Oklahomans who live in Tornando Alley and any state whose territory has coastal settlements.....like New Jersey (remember Sandy). Perhaps he could produce a map of acceptable locations and a prescription for proper politics. That would helpful. Or just retire to the mythical Lake Wobegon where perhaps the only charity needed is the delivery of a warm apple pie on a frost covered morning.
What can one expect from a guy who spent a subsidized career sneering at his background?
gimmethesimplelife
9-7-17, 9:32am
Yes, it's a mess. :( And it's not a good feeling to not feel safe with people in charge.This is exactly I feel - not safe with the people currently in charge. Thank You for summing this up so easily in so few words - I'm very verbose and it would take me paragraphs to get across what you have here in a mere 14 words. Rob
gimmethesimplelife
9-7-17, 9:34am
With this president I think gridlock is a wonderful thing. The less he gets done the better, including giving properties back to the Russians so they can spy on us.Gridlock is our friend at the moment, yes indeed. Gridlock feels - how do I put this - safe. Yes, gridlock feels very safe given the givens. Rob
gimmethesimplelife
9-7-17, 9:38am
I wonder, if the United States truly is stupid enough to build this wall - will the Mexicans on the other side of the wall cover the wall with Hispanic art in an attempt to middle finger salute the United States, while rebelliously showing the human spirit and human decency to help make the wall slightly less ugly and slightly beautiful in parts due to covering parts with art? I should send an email off to the Mexican government and make this suggestion - my husband could do all the translation for me. Can't hurt. Rob
A friend has been posting an article every couple of days on Facebook written by an American ex-pat living somewhere in Europe. It's been interesting seeing an American viewpoint of various other country's systems. I suspect that if the US didn't spend such an overwhelming amount of it's taxes on the military industrial complex and more on things that actually showed real benefits to people than we wouldn't have so many people with a negative image of taxes. And we would all benefit. An interesting example from the article about Sweden:
"No matter how rich Bill Gates is, he cannot buy a hiking trail system in Seattle like those we take for granted in Stockholm."
https://www.vox.com/2016/4/8/11380356/swedish-taxes-love
And an interesting factoid regarding healthcare in Sweden vs. the US:
"Paradoxically it turns out the bloated, heavily lobbied, privatized US system spends more tax money ($4,437) per person than Sweden's socialized health care ($3,184)."
And an interesting factoid regarding healthcare in Sweden vs. the US:
I just spent some time in Sweden. Nice place. I'm not sure "hiking trail systems" is a good metric for comparison though.
Interesting to compare to the State of Washington:
Sweden:
Population: ~10 million
Size: ~174,000 sq. miles
GDP: ~$498 billion
Land in parks/protection: ~12% : 13,343,690 acres of 111,270,400
Washington State:
Population: ~7.2 million
Size: ~71,400 sq. miles
GDP: ~$470 billion
Land in parks/protection: ~43.4% : Total acres: 19,805,117 of 45,663,000
It is a shame to see Mr. Keillor become such a croutchety old fart. Especially hypocritical is the pithy way he chides others for accepting national government disaster funds after he has spent nearly a half century sucking at the teat of government subsidy. He left out Californians who have settled on the San Andreas fault, Oklahomans who live in Tornando Alley and any state whose territory has coastal settlements.....like New Jersey (remember Sandy). Perhaps he could produce a map of acceptable locations and a prescription for proper politics. That would helpful. Or just retire to the mythical Lake Wobegon where perhaps the only charity needed is the delivery of a warm apple pie on a frost covered morning.
You may recall it was Texas congressmen who specifically complained about paying for damage from Superstorm Sandy. This time around, you did not hear the congressional representatives from New Jersey complaining about having to pay for damage from Harvey. That's the point.
Williamsmith
9-7-17, 12:49pm
You may recall it was Texas congressmen who specifically complained about paying for damage from Superstorm Sandy. This time around, you did not hear the congressional representatives from New Jersey complaining about having to pay for damage from Harvey. That's the point.
Ted Cruz and his buds complained that the bill was chock full of unecessary pork but I am not defending Ted...I never liked him but the facts shouldn't stand in the way of making a political point apparently. The two hardest hit areas of Houston and surrounding county both voted overwhelmingly in favor of Clinton over Trump. Furthermore Representative John Culbertson was one of the only Republicans to vote in favor of the Sandy package and he represented the same hardest hit areas from Harvey. The people from Houston who need the help now certainly had nothing to do with the Sandy funds allocation debacle. But then again....facts get in the way.
Perhaps Rep. Culbertson can explain to his fellow Republicans how maintaining a budget for FEMA is a good thing for all areas of the country.
Fact check: Cruz wrong on Sandy relief: http://www.factcheck.org/2017/08/cruz-wrong-sandy-relief/
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