Thomas Friedman writes about a movement that is only letting off steam:
How can you take a movement seriously that says it wants to cut government spending by billions of dollars but won’t identify the specific defense programs, Social Security, Medicare or other services it’s ready to cut — let alone explain how this will make us more competitive and grow the economy?
And how can you take seriously a movement that sat largely silent while the Bush administration launched two wars and a new entitlement, Medicare prescription drugs — while cutting taxes — but is now, suddenly, mad as hell about the deficit and won’t take it anymore from President Obama? Say what? Where were you folks for eight years?
His entire column is located here.
How’s that go about the pot calling the kettle…
You can take them seriously because they feel the country has come to a tipping point. Maybe there was a portion of the policies of the Bush administration they were unhappy with and what they see now pushes them over the edge.
Not sure who contrarian is calling the pot and the kettle.
Walberg wants to drown social security. I’m so glad he doesn’t think we need any help from the government; after all, he only receives a pension, free insurance and the Lord only knows what else from his previous term in the House.
I haven’t given Friedman the time of day since he announced his support of the Cheney/Bush war in Iraq.
So your premise, Contrarian, is that things were so bad during the Bush Era that once Obama got in office, people just snapped. Sorry but I can’t buy that one.
Bush pushed through big tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans without any plan to cover the shortfall in federal revenue (no complaint from the future Tea Partiers).
Not only did he fail to cover the deficit, he oversaw the biggest expansion in federal government in modern history, mostly the Dept. of Homeland Security. (no complaints about that program lacking the direction about how to pay for it).
Furthermore, he started a very expensive off-budget war (no problem).
The substantial budget surplus he inherited disappeared and the deficit grew to record levels (no complaints, no Tea Party).
And that’s just the economic side. Things were OK until Obama was elected. Then this America-hater had to be driven from office.
I think the Tea Party is little more than politics. GOP deficits are OK. GOP spending is fine. The Tea Party lacks answers because their only solution is to get rid of the Democrats. Then everything will be fine again.
I’m not as willing to lump all the tea party affiliated people into one kettle. I probably identify more with them then either major party. I was not ok with the GOP pork spendng prior 2006. You will recall the democrats were in control of the purse strings the final two years of the Bush administration.
They spent money on more than the war. Let’s not forget about the expansion of medicare, [not a fan] and funding for AIDS relief. [ok by me]
Sybil & David- It struck me as odd that David will be critical of a movement that he charecterizes as being very selective in their anger depending on who is in the Whitehouse. I’ve not forgotten the constant barrage of editorials during the Bush administration regarding the war, spending, torture and scandal. It would be interesting to count the same since the new administration took office.
So as Mr. Friedman will take me seriously-
I suggest we should move toward a national sales tax and eliminate personal and corporate income taxes. Eliminate all carve outs or exemptions and consequently scale back the IRS.
We should cut back the government’s financial backstop in SallieMae, FreddieMac and other forms of bailout, (I would probably keep the FDIC insurance with a $250K cap. I would pull back federal support of student loans and would like to see public universities privatize. I’m am sure the defense departments deserves cuts although I would need to study it further to see where. Social Security needs to have a private component. The Department of Education needs scaled back. School vouchers would be in.
Certainly the above list is not all inclusive but it should provide plenty of fodder for discussion. In short, I do not support programs that remove personal responsibility.
In short
Oh let me tell you, I am very upset with Barack Obama about many things and have registered my anger and frustration. He has done many good things since taking office–reversing stem-cell research being one of them. Some of the others are listed below. However, his continuing the previous administration’s policies of rendition, warrantless domestic surveillance of U.S. citizens, targeted assassinations, doubling the amount of Bush’s drone strikes, justifying enhanced interrogation techniques–these and maybe more (I’m too tired to even think right now) are enough to make my blood boil.
None of the above issues are on the Tea Partiers agenda, however. In fact, I seriously doubt they had any idea that these things went on in Bush’s administration. If, like some of us, they would be upset about these issues, then I’d be more sympathetic but no, all they do is talk in generalities. (they don’t dare admit they want BHO out of office because he’s a black Kenyan–that would be a dead giveaway)
Some of the better things Obama has done:
1. Disagree or not, saving the collapse of the American automotive industry by making GM restructure before bailing them out, and putting incentive money to help the industry
2. Shifted the focus of the war from Iraq to Afghanistan, and putting the emphasis on reducing terrorism where it should have been all along
3. Relaxed Anti-American tensions throughout the world
4. Signed order to close the prisoner “torture camp” at Guantanamo Bay
5. Has made the environment a national priority, and a primary source for job creation
6. Has made education a national priority by putting emphasis and money behind new ideas like charter schools, but speaking directly to school children in telling them they have to do their part.
7. authorized funding for families to take care of their loved ones returning home from the war who have brain injuries.
8. $789 billion economic stimulus plan (it should have been more because, in spite of denials, it is working. “The best-known economic research firms are IHS Global Insight, Macroeconomic Advisers and Moody’s Economy.com. They all estimate that the bill has added 1.6 million to 1.8 million jobs as of February and that its ultimate impact will be roughly 2.5 million jobs”.
9. Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court
10. Attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles
11. Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans
12. Renewed dialogue with NATO and other allies and partners on strategic issues.
13. Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military 20 years after the Cold War to a more modern fighting force… this includes new procurement policies, increasing size of military, new technology and cyber units and operations, etc.
14. Better body armor is now being provided to our troops
15. “Cash for clunkers” program offers vouchers to trade in fuel inefficient, polluting old cars for new cars; stimulated auto sales
16. Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan
17. Closed offshore tax safe havens
18. Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan (totally disagreed with this decision)
19. Ended media “blackout” on war casualties; reporting full information
20. Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts
21. . Ended media blackout on war casualties and the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB.
22. Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules
23. Ended previous practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug manufacturers for cheaper drugs; the federal government is now realizing hundreds of millions in savings
24. Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations, and reports
25. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has created 2.1 million jobs (as of 12/31/09).
26. Ended previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions
27. Ended previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs; the new policy is to promote in-sourcing to bring jobs back
28. Passed the Lilly Ledbetter Act (equal work for equal pay)
29. . Launched Recovery.gov to track spending from the Recovery Act, an unprecedented step to provide transparency and accountability through technology.
30. Ended previous practice of protecting credit card companies; in place of it are new consumer protections from credit card industry’s predatory practices
31. Ended previous “stop-loss” policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date
32. Energy producing plants must begin preparing to produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources
33. Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient
34. Established a new cyber security office
35. Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children
36. Expanding vaccination programs
37. Families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB
38. . Provided the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with more than $1.4 billion to improve services to America’s Veterans.
39. Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research
40. Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools
41. Responded with compassion and leadership to the earthquake in Haiti
42. Immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters
43. . Launched Business.gov – enabling conversation and online collaboration between small business owners, government representatives and industry experts in discussion forums relevant to starting and managing a business. Great for the economy.
44. Improved housing for military personnel
45. Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals
46. Economic stimulus plan has created jobs. May not be as many as we would like but 3.1 million jobs ain’t nuthin’ to sneeze at.
47. Improving benefits for veterans
48. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants…) after years of neglect
49. Donated his $1.4 million Nobel Prize to nonprofits.
50. Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program
51. Provided tax credits to first-time home buyers through the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 to revitalize the U.S. housing market.
52. Increasing pay and benefits for military personnel
53. Increasing student loans
54. Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return “home” to visit loved ones
55. Cracked down on companies that deny sick pay, vacation and health insurance to workers by abusing the employee classification of independent contractor. Such companies also avoid paying Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance taxes for those workers.
56. Limited salaries of senior White House aides; cut to $100,000
57. Limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House
58. Protected 300,000 education jobs, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors through the Recovery Act that would have otherwise been lost.
59. Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration
60. Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act on February 4, 2009, provides quality health care to 11 million kids – 4 million who were previously uninsured.
61. Lower drug costs for seniors
62. Making more loans available to small businesses
64. . Signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the lives of Americans living with paralysis
65. Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals
66. New Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans
67. Announced creation of a Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record for members of the U.S. Armed Forces to improve quality of medical care.
68. New federal funding for science and research labs
69. New funds for school construction
70. Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending
71. Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices
72. . Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals.
73. Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren’t even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan
74. Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions
75. Provided tax credit to workers thus cutting taxes for 95% of America’s working families.
76. Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic
77. Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research
78. . Helped reverse a downward spiral of the stock market. On January 19, 2009, the last day of President Bush’s presidency, the Dow closed at 8,218.22. In February 2010, the Dow closed at 10,309.24
79. Renewed loan guarantees for Israel
80. Restarted the nuclear non-proliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols
81. Provided attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles.
82. Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters
83. Sent envoys to Middle East and other parts of the world that had been neglected for years; reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy
84. Unveiled a program on Earth Day 2009 to develop the renewable energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf that produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents. These regulations will enable, for the first time ever, the nation to tap into our ocean’s vast sustainable resources to generate clean energy in an environmentally sound and safe manner.
85. Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program
86. States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards
87. Students struggling to make college loan payments can have their loans refinanced
88. Is gradually reversing the recession
89. The FDA is now regulating tobacco
90. Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date.
91. The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 2010
92. The public can meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (the new plan can be completed in one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying
93. US financial and banking rescue plan
94 . Signed the Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act to stop fraud and wasteful spending in the defense procurement and contracting system.
95. Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office
96. Conversations with Iran
97. Improved U.S. policy on climate change
98. Set timetable for exiting Iraq (already started removing troops)
101. Improved relations with Russia
102. Improved relations with the Islamic World
103. Made progress towards greater cooperation on limiting nuclear proliferation
104. Backed away from its predecessor’s aggressive reliance on the theory of executive power
Thanks for the list, Sybil. Interesting to look through.
Tell me more about a national sales tax plan because I know nothing. Has any country tried it out? What are the revenue projections from that plan? Higher, lower? If the economy sputtered like is has the last couple of years, what would happen to the federal government? I’m thinking of the situation with Michigan schools and sales tax. Wouldn’t it dramatically increase the growing gap betwixt rich and poor? It seems as though the wealthiest citizens would suddenly become much, much wealthier and the poorer citizens would become poorer. Set me straight if that’s not the way it would work.
Sybil, I hope I was not making your blood boil. You have been cosistant of your critique of both recent administrations. I can agree with some of your list being positive; I hope you can agree President Bush did some positive things as well.
David, you probably don’t know about the national sales tax plan because I haven’t thought it all up yet. The revenue would of course be based on what rate was agreed on. I would probably need a constitutional ammendment to force a balanced budget to make it work.
I’m not opposed to those at the bottom of the income scale paying more. Everyone should pay some. If you got rid of all the exemptions and carve-outs you may have some of the “rich” paying more. It would all be consumption based and I think we can alll agree if you have more you spend more.
Certainly, there would be fluxuations in revenue based on the economy. I think there are now. Like any responsible budget, we need to be working toward a rainy day fund.