Libby pardoned

[Eaglez]

I hate budget surpluses because idle capital is just sitting in the government coffers and doing nothing. What the government should aim for is a balanced budget so more capital is available for investment.

Did you forget our $8 trillion debt?  Perhaps we should make some payments on that?

the 8 trillion figure reflects private debt and not all federal shortfalls. Tell your neighbor to stop making minimum payments and aim to live below their means. If the federal government can maintain a balanced budget, cut pork, stop corporate welfare and funding programs that private foundations can do a better job at providing, curb earmarks, etc. then I will be happy. Government should not take in more in taxes than it allocates in spending.  If it was up to me, I would return the notion that the federal government is a government of enumerated powers and that the language of the Constitution should be narrowly construed given the history of the Constitutional Convention, the Federalist Papers, and the presence of language in the Constitution stating that the federal government is a government of "enumerated powers" and the presence of the 9th and 10th Amendments.

Right now, I like Giuliani out of the bunch because he is probably the most committed to sound, limited government fiscal policy and free market based reforms. After the reckless spending Congress and the President, I think Giuliani could help clean house and help instill that fiscally responsible message back in Washington.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Unfortunately, he's also a massive douche running solely on leftover patriotism from 9/11.

[Eaglez]

Unfortunately, he's also a massive douche running solely on leftover patriotism from 9/11.

True, plus he is shaky on social issues and I'm not sure what I would get with him in regards to that. But I love his fiscal stance on providing free market solutions for health care and education. He might make a good VP or advisor if a stronger candidate comes about (maybe Thompson, but I have some reservations about him; however, his wife is fargin' smokin')

[ice grillin you]

True, plus he is shaky on social issues

actually its about the only solid ground he stands on

[Eaglez]

True, plus he is shaky on social issues

actually its about the only solid ground he stands on

Sure, from his previous record its evident on what he thinks about abortion, gay rights, I guess some would clump gun rights in there as well, etc. But he is talking up a game taking contrary positions. He spoke out appointing justices that would take a strict textualist view which may take the abortion debate out of the federal arena and back to the states (where I think it belongs). That's fine. If he decides to take the position of not being an overbearing executive, give the states the discretion afforded to them under the Constitution, and focus on fiscal and military policy, I'd vote for Rudy.

[Cerevant]

I hate budget surpluses because idle capital is just sitting in the government coffers and doing nothing. What the government should aim for is a balanced budget so more capital is available for investment.

Did you forget our $8 trillion debt?  Perhaps we should make some payments on that?

the 8 trillion figure reflects private debt and not all federal shortfalls.

Reference?  Everywhere I look, I find this number listed as the debt of the government, not private debt.  From Wikipedia:

The United States public debt, commonly called the national debt, gross federal debt or U.S. government debt, is the amount of money owed by the United States federal government to creditors who hold U.S. Debt Instruments. As of the end of 2006, the total U.S. federal public debt was $4.9 trillion. This does not include the money owed by states, corporations, or individuals, nor does it include the money owed to Social Security beneficiaries in the future. If intragovernment debt obligations are included, the debt figure rises to $8.7 trillion.

Intragovernment debt = money owed to the Federal Reserve by the US Government.

According to this, the total American debt is $48 trillion.

Hey, but the more the US economy tanks, the more I make, since the US dollar is tanking against foreign currencies and is almost at parity with the Canadian dollar for the first time since 1976.

[Eaglez]

Interesting. I didn't know that it did not factor in private debt holdings. I always thought the figure that projected close to 8 trillion plus included both (private and public). I stand corrected.

But, again, in order for the government to pay down the debt it needs to institute more fiscal responsibility. And running a surplus does not necessarily mean that surplus will go towards paying down that debt. A surplus is not allocated towards anything -- it just sits there. The federal government, in devising its budget, can allocate tax revenue towards paying down debt. It can be a "government program". So you don't need a surplus to pay down the debt. It can just be a regular budgetary allocation after the federal government does some house keeping and axes worthless agencies and programs.

[Cerevant]

I didn't say a surplus would be used reduce the debt - I said it should.

As for Giuliani, all the "fiscal responsibility" in the world won't help if you are spending $12 billion/month on the war.

[Eaglez]

I didn't say a surplus would be used reduce the debt - I said it should.

As for Giuliani, all the "fiscal responsibility" in the world won't help if you are spending $12 billion/month on the war.

OK, but I rather have the surplus given back into private hands than sitting in government coffers.

As for Giuliani, maybe... but I don't mind military spending. In fact, it is one of the few legitimate interests the federal government has in terms of spending. There are a lot of federal government programs I would dispose of to hopefully make up for that.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I don't have a problem with defense spending either, if it's not completely wasted.

It's being wasted right now... FYI.

[Diomedes]

Defense spending could be halved and the U.S. would still be the greatest military power on earth.

Way too much money is spent on war making.

[Eaglez]

I don't have a problem with defense spending either, if it's not completely wasted.

It's being wasted right now... FYI.

True, to a certain extent. I guess I just wouldn't mind if the federal government close to completely concerned itself with military operations and foreign policy. That was the main emphasis of the Articles of Confederation (a loose confederation and the main purpose was to represent the country on the international scene) and while I understand the need of a more centralized federal government for unity and efficiency reasons, I still admire a system where the federal government is more constrained through enumerated powers and the states have wider discretion in setting domestic policy that is tailored to the needs of the constituency of each individual state.

[Diomedes]

....and the states have wider discretion in setting domestic policy that is tailored to the needs of the constituency of each individual state.

That would be great if we didn't have the southern states to deal with.  But since we do, the only guard against camps for Jews and other so-called undesirables, re-enactment of slavery, re-enslavement of women, etc. is to forcibly maintain at least the appearance of civilization by federal law and occupation when necessary.

[rjs246]

Yeah, there are tons of southern states that are pushing for slavery and internment camps to be legalized. You're a farging clown.

[ice grillin you]

That would be great if we didn't have the southern states to deal with.  But since we do, the only guard against camps for Jews and other so-called undesirables, re-enactment of slavery, re-enslavement of women, etc. is to forcibly maintain at least the appearance of civilization by federal law and occupation when necessary.

lol...POTY

the south should be released into the atlantic...after romey moves back up here of course