Almost 65 and retired. Raised by an East Coast liberal. I am also a child of the sixties.

The eight hundred pound gorilla in the room.

Posted Saturday, August 20, 2011, at 8:14 AM

This is dedicated to Jessi, our new blogger, and her grandchildren, because they are the future.

I have spent more time than I care to, listening to talk radio, reading and researching and even talking to some of the people I meet everyday just to see if I can figure out if either I'm crazy and there is no gorilla in the room, or if there is one and everyone is ignoring it and hoping it will go away. Or worse yet, they really can't see it.

The gorilla I speak of is the national debt and the realities surrounding it. There has been talk of a balanced budget amendment, which sounds great, but lacks substance in how to achieve it. When speaking of the budget, the one number almost no politician wants to even mention is the almost ½ TRILLION dollars a year we can't cut from the budget because that is how much the interest currently costs us. And since all we do is roll over old debt with new debt, the cost could go up substantially if our debtors demand a higher interest rate. Another thing the politicians hate to talk about is the fact that most of our debt is held by the Chinese, Russians, and a slew of other countries that have an intense dislike of us. They buy our debt to bleed us dry, and eventually gain control over us.

Now comes the number that nobody anywhere wants to mention or even think about. In order to pay off the national debt in 30 YEARS, we will have to spend an additional ½ TRILLION dollars a year. That means 1 TRILLION dollars a year. That doesn't include national defense, Social Security, Medicare and the V.A.

No money for securing our borders. No money for anything!

Our last Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, commissioned a study on how to bring the budget of the Defense Department under control. This commission was made up of leaders of big business. These are the people and companies that everyone says needs more tax breaks. I'm only bringing this up because this paper is published in a military town. Here is the link that tells you what they think of YOU!

http://news.yahoo.com/military-pensions-too-generous-073743707.html

I am the first one to agree that spending is out of control. We give away too much money to other countries. We spend too much money at home on people who are here illegally. We spend too much money on PORK. This includes PORK that benefits Idaho! There are far too many agencies that are bloated and wasteful. There are many agencies that could be combined and slimmed down and still fulfill their original mandates.

We as a people have to decide just how much to spend to meet the mandate laid out for us in the preamble of our constitution and how to pay for it.

WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to form a more Perfect Union, establish Justice,

insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare,

and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this

Constitution for the United States of America.

The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States, adopted September 17, 1787

So if your ok with us being in debt FOREVER to the likes of the Chinese, Russians and other unfriendly governments, then continue keeping your head in the sand and watch our country be taken over by the above mentioned governments. We are so beholden now that every move we make is measured by how it might offend our debt holders. God, isn't it great to live in economic fear of the Chinese, Russians and others?

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Well said Roy.....and thanks for the dedication.

I've actually been blogging here for years...with a pause now and then while I'm busy in life.....

Anyway I appreciate your thoughts

Jessie

-- Posted by jessiemiller on Sat, Aug 20, 2011, at 8:24 AM
THERE IS NO ARGUMENT AS TO THE DEBT.......like you said how do we get it gone,that is the thing.

I say cuts and raising revenue both dedicated to debt reduction.I said that right from the beginning and even people on the right are starting to come around to that.Cuts alone will not do it.WE all have chimed in with ideas,lets assume our leaders are thinking some of the same things,so they need to quite arguing about who'S IDEA IT WAS AND GET TO DOING WHAT WE NEED.

ALL OF THEM SEEM MORE INTRESTED IN REELECTION THAN ANY THING ELSE........DO WHATS RIGHT REELECTION WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF.

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Aug 20, 2011, at 1:35 PM
To this day, not a single politician has mentioned paying off the debt. Know why? Because then they have to admit that more revenue is needed. Spending cuts alone will not get the job done. Even when it comes to balancing the budget. Revenue, not hopes of more revenue. And if you read the link, if this is what they think of our Vets. god knows what they think of the common taxpayer. And they and their companies deserve more tax cuts? For what? Moving more jobs off shore? Creating more jobs off shore?

As far as I'm concerned, more taxes on them until they start creating real manufacturing jobs HERE!

Tax them and their goods till it hurts them in the pocketbook. That is the only place they have any feelings in. When they invest in AMERICA, then AMERICA will give them tax breaks.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Sat, Aug 20, 2011, at 3:03 PM
AMEN....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Aug 20, 2011, at 3:10 PM
I guess its better to take away from the poor then tax the rich. Pretty soon there won't be a middle class.

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Sat, Aug 20, 2011, at 8:54 PM
Mike, you know where I stand when it comes to those folks in D.C. They all need to be replaced by ordinary citizens with common sense and who know how to balance a checkbook, so let's put that issue to bed. How many times have I said spending is out of control, including in this blog? Let's put that issue aside. I have stated my position on tax breaks for companies that create manufacturing jobs here. Let's put that issue aside. That spending is out of control has been addressed not only here, but in my other blogs. Let's put that issue aside. The same goes for foreign aid and aid to illegals. To keep bringing these issues up adds nothing. Now on to the real issues in this blog.

1) We as a country are the second largest consumer in the world. Companies have to sell here.

2) Big business leaders that hold such a low opinion of our veterans are TRAITORS!

3) Companies that employ and back the opinions of such TRAITORS are TRAITORS as well.

4) If companies that employ only foreign workers to manufacture their goods have to lay off some foreign workers because of the import tax, who cares. I sure don't.

5) Anyone who will not take on the issue of paying off the debt is either too stupid to govern, or is a TRAITOR!

6) Nowhere here have I stated to increase the tax rate for the rich. I do advocate the elimination of loop holes that allow people with multi-million dollar incomes to shelter enough income to only pay 17% in taxes, while the rest of us pay the going tax rate.

7) Companies who take manufacturing jobs out of our country and create employment overseas deserve to pay a tax on those goods brought into our country. They are the ones who have destroyed the tax base here.

8) While I'm at it, companies that sell goods or services to our government should be forced to produce those goods or services here under our oversight.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 7:02 AM
Mike, it sounds like you agree with me even though you still muddy the waters. Would you agree that there should be an option on the ballot of "None of the above" .

Do you agree the President should have a line item veto when it comes to the budget? As it stands now, what the President gets in a budget bill is what he has to sign. The only alternative is to veto the whole thing and start over.

Would you agree that continuing resolutions should be banned by an amendment?

Would you agree that the congress should not be allowed to leave Washington, and have to work without pay until a real budget is passed?

These are solutions that I propose. What concrete solutions do you propose?

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 8:14 AM
This is not a conversation......no matter what points are brought up in what context all you get back is right wing talking points.PELOSI,PEID,THIS CONGRESS( that has republicans also).AS FOR THE PRESSIDENT IT DOESNT MATTER WHAT HE DOES....FOR THE RIGHT IT IS WRONG ,EVEN WHEN HE AGRESS WITH THEM AND I THINK THAT SAYS IT ALL.WHEN HE SAYS i agree and lets do it and then the right says we changed our minds we dont like that NOW.

zOOK YOU CAN RAIL THOSE TALKING POINTS TILL THE COWS COME HOME......they are starting to ring hollow.....dont bring up cong.Waters....She expressed a frustration that for some reason that the president should be governing by favoring people of color.....wrong the president should govern for the nation all of us .So i heard her but i didnt,she played poletics at his exspense,that is the way it goes.If he had did what she wants you would just have something else to throw out there.

THE DEFICIT WILL REQUIRE CUTTING AND TAX REVENUE NOT ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER,BOTH HAND IN HAND AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.....TO say otherwise is to want to lay blame first and fix it latter.JOB creators havnt created a thing,and there not going to.let us know when you can live on min wage....that is when they will come back,so plan on being poor........my opinion.

-- Posted by lamont on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 8:15 AM
Good morning lamont. When are you playing again in my neck of the woods? And darn you, you beat me to the punch with your post. Have a good day.

Roy

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 8:29 AM
One last question Mike. If I were to run for the U.S. Senate, would you support me, based on what you know about me from my blogs?

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 9:17 AM
How do we create jobs, when no one is spending?. Business's need customers so they can grow and prosper and they sure can't afford to hire if they aren't making enough money !

Already I have heard that any plan Obama has for creating jobs is going to get shot down by the Repubs

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 12:49 PM
Mike, you really ought to put more thought into the words you use. Your last post may not survive due to your choice of words.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 2:10 PM
"It's like deja vu all over again."

So are ants socialists or communists?

-- Posted by Pale Ale on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 2:14 PM
WOW!

Every person in this country who does NOT legally belong here, is deported or shot. Their choice.

And you talk about Obama being a communist ?

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 3:44 PM
Zook I guess you won't be voting for Cain. He worked for the Department of Navy but never joined a branch of our Military.

He's OUT............Pick another candidate

Your words

"ANYONE running for president WILL BE a military veteran himself."

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 7:14 PM
I wish you and your new found friend (Homer)the very best. I'll try to pick up some slack here while your busy writing other things. I would buy you some coloring crayons and a book up at wal mart but I'm sure if you ask Donna and say Pretty Please she will pick you up some new ones. :)

Can't wait to get started on my update of the republican Candidates.

And I'm sure Hewbet is busy putting some story's together for his blog which should be coming soon.

We will leave a light on for you. Take Care

Adios Amigo.

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 8:45 PM
Roy:

While I might not agree with all of your blog. I think that it is wonderfully written out.

I think that it is an irony that we can't agree amongst ourselves how to clean up this mess, but expect our goverment to. And when I say that I mean, we need accountability for everyone.

Illegal aliens are costing us more than any other entity in the U.S.A.

By simply enforcing the existing laws regarding citizenship, we could concievably take a big chunk out of the present debt.

And when we talk about spending cuts.

Lets start with our congressman's salaries, perks etc. They are so busy raising money for their next campaign, that we should make this a voluntary position or as I have said before, have someoneone sponsor them while they are in office.

I don't always agree with everything that Mike says, but I think that he has some valid points.

Greed has made many corporations begin to produce outside of the country. And stiff EPA and other regulations.

We could also curtail some of the President's travel that is not work-related. I would be all for that for anyone in the future. Other travel expenses should come out of their own pockets.

The accounting should start at the White House with each elected official's budget for expenses to be approved by their consituents. And non-elected CZARs should be strictly voluntary to avoid a conflict of interest.

We all have ideas, but somehow, it doesn't make it to the drawing board at the Federal Level. Our lawmakers need to take notice and be a little more humble about their "intelligence" and decision-making. Regardless of Party, Race or Creed.

Regardless of party-lines, we need to make our lawmakers understand, that we are tired of all of this and if they cannot accomplish anything, they will be fired.

-- Posted by KH Gal on Tue, Aug 23, 2011, at 11:42 AM
The world didnt take Germany serious either....When it was all said and done The same world teamed up to kick there butt.....remember.The stuff they talked was just like what you are advocating.DO YOU THINK WE WILL FAIR ANY BETTER????????? And if so why??????

Do you really think nukes are the catch all to end all.????? They are the end all for all. 1 Just 1 used against a nation state will bring everyone with them to the front with there finger on the trigger.And the person who uses them first will be considered the enemy.....by the world.....in other words we become the enemy and the target......i dont understand why you dont understand that......then there is collateral damage to consider of innocents who have nothing to do with the cause.Those weapons are theatre weapons not something you take out a city block with.So what you are advocating is that we should take a chance and start ww3 because we have more nukes than any given country and we will win.....we dont have more than the entire world, we do have enough to contribute mightly to world destruction.....In the case of nukes wether you win or not depends on wether your nation can FUNCTION as nation when its over.....IF ANYTHING IS LEFT.Your premise is that we will be unscathed, wrong.... we will not.You have to assume that Any country that has nukes has the capabilty no matter how crude to deliver it.What i just told you is written all over the place in military papers and discussions of world strategys ....you, like a lot of americans dont want to believe it.You want to think we are invincible,that is because we havn't had a war or massive destruction on our soil.Get into the nuke business and we will, it is pretty much a given.

I am beginning to think you dont want to hear it because it is comming from what you consider to be a liberal,Remember i am a person with a weapon in his hand who will use it,and has been in combat also.I AM A DEDICATED SOLDIER WHO STUDYS THE ART OF WAR. But think what you wish,i am just glad you dont get a chance to act it out at that level.

-- Posted by lamont on Thu, Aug 25, 2011, at 2:54 AM

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