PSX5Central
Non Gaming Discussions => Off-Topic => Topic started by: Coredweller on September 22, 2003, 01:24:58 PM
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http://www.msnbc.com/news/969195.asp
El Presidente George Bush spent $300 Billion on tax cuts in 2003, and now he wants $87 B more to cover the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. What else could we spend $87 B on right here in the USA? Hmmmm....
[For "Homeland Security"] Spend 22 times what Congress appropriated to cities and states in aide to first responders this year.
Hire more than 2 million new teachers or
Spend an additional $1,824 on each child in American public schools. "The so-called ‘No Child Left Behind Act’ is underfunded by eight billion dollars," says Kathleen Lyons of the National Education Association, a teacher’s union. "This administration has misplaced priorities about funding."
Spend $7,909 on each American child without health insurance.
Hire more than 2 million new firefighters. "Two thirds of the fire departments in this nation are understaffed," says George Burke of the International Association of Firefighters. "Because of cuts in federal spending to the states we are facing the worst crisis since the Great Depression."
Increase the EPA’s budget more than tenfold.
With $87 billion "we could clean up once and for all America’s worst toxic waste sites and dirtiest power plants and help protect hundreds of communities from wildfires," says Eric Antebi of the Sierra Club.
Spend 27 times more on AIDS research than the federal government spent in fiscal year 2000.
Lots more. Read up. :)
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:yawn:
we\'ll just print more money (or invade canada)
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yea, so a can of pepsi costs $3 at a vending machine?
ekk..come to think of it, they are getting close pretty quickly in some areas.
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indeed, a bottle of pepsi (16oz) is 3$ at the zoo or theatre here
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You do realize that the US spends more money on education than any other country in the world, don\'t you?
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You\'re probably referring to the recent OECD study. The results are a little misleading, but I accept that statement the we spend more than any other country. So maybe more money isn\'t the answer, but you\'ve got to admit that our educational system blows.
We are a large enough country that it\'s hard for us to administer the money we DO spend in an efficient and uniform manner. We don\'t have a national educational system like the other countries we\'re being compared to... thus we have certain states and certain school districts that are superior, and others that are complete crap. It\'s an embarrasment for us.
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Great american ideas- help others around the world.
While we are stricken with poverty, homelessness, stds, drug abuse, assault, violence, no jobs, not sastisfactory education etc.
Sure they need help- but isnt the #1 priority ourselves?
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Of course it is! We\'re Americans!
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/me stick hand up at the back.
Didn’t George Bush senior lose his job because like little GW.. he won the war with Iraq but lost the war with the economy.
History repeating ?
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Long way to go before the election and it is very common in this country to bitch about our situation. Not that problems do not exist but it is no where as bad as some would like to think.
If we want to have a better educational system in this country we have to have parents who give a crap about their kids. When we stop yelling at teachers because little Johnny got an F and start holding our kids accountable for their lack of involvement is school things will get better.
Throwing money at a problem is a quick fix that does not last.
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The point is not "education" here. It\'s how much money that crazy rich bafoon is spending.
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Yeah, it\'s funny how Republicans used to get so pissed off about deficits, but now that their own president has created the biggest one in history, it\'s no big deal anymore. :)
Here are some more things we could use the $87 Billion for, per Michael Moore:
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2003-09-15
$87 Billion Is More Than The Combined Total Of All State Budget Deficits In The United States.
The Bush administration proposed absolutely zero funds to help states deal with these deficits, despite the fact that their tax cuts drove down state revenues. [Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
$87 Billion Is Enough To Pay The 3.3 Million People Who Have Lost Jobs Under George W. Bush $26,363 Each!
The unemployment benefits extension passed by Congress at the beginning of this year provides zero benefits to "workers who exhausted their regular, state unemployment benefits and cannot find work." All told, two-thirds of unemployed workers have exhausted their benefits. [Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
$87 Billion Is More Than DOUBLE The Total Amount The Government Spends On Homeland Security.
The U.S. spends about $36 billion on homeland security. Yet, Sen. Warren Rudman (R-N.H.) wrote "America will fall approximately $98.4 billion short of meeting critical emergency responder needs" for homeland security without a funding increase. [Source: Council on Foreign Relations]
$87 Billion Is 87 Times The Amount The Federal Government Spends On After School Programs.
George W. Bush proposed a budget that reduces the $1 billion for after-school programs to $600 million -- cutting off about 475,000 children from the program. [Source: The Republican-dominated House Appropriations Committee]
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That man is ****ing this country up...
One of my girlfriend\'s friend (who is a republican/christian) said that "GWB is a good president, he is christian and is a good man. Democrats steal money from the people who worked hard to get it and give it to the lazy asses that just live off the hard working people. Being a democrat is just anti-christian"
I felt like shoving a brick down her throat....
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Well your girlfriends friend has a point, though it has nothing to do with being "anti christian". Democrats tend to favor federally funded programs that support the poor/unemployed/minorities and offer them no incentive to better their situation. Handing people money without requiring them to find work or get an education is equivalent to being a socialist state ie. Canada.
As for what 00seven said, no GWB senior didn\'t lose the election because of the Gulf War - he lost it because he broke his promise of "Read my lips - no new taxes." That was his major campaign slogan and then he went ahead and raised taxes.
I love it when people say that this country is full of homeless people, the uneducated, drug abuse, etc. when in reality these people make their own choices. Why should tax money be spent on helping a junkie or a homeless person who has no motivation to help themselves? These people have made a choice and it is not the responsiblility of the tax payer to pamper these lost causes.
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The real problem is why aren\'t these inner city minorities motivated to do anything constructive with their lives? You don\'t honestly believe that all these people are lazy and are happy with the conditions of their way of life. All they see is poverty and a general fear of them in the public\'s eyes. Many of them feel helpless and see no way out of their given situation.
I don\'t have the answers, but telling people with no skills and zero connections to get out there and make themselves better dosen\'t work. You think people like being poor drug addicted losers?
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I think her friend is an idiot for what she said. Why? My parents when they first moved here, they lived in the "projects" I was on Medicaid for a long time. Where they worthless bums? No, why b/c they both worked their ass off to get my bros and I a better life, now we live in our own house, we pay our own bill. What she said was completely stupid. You cannot put all people that get help from the government in one freaking basket. There are people that take advantage of this, but i\'ve seen plenty of people get out of the gutter. Republicans just like to see everything in a way that favors them. They\'re solution? Just don\'t give them anything and give it to the people that have everything.
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I\'ve been a life long Republican but my faith in Conservatism is waning. Living out in the real world (and in the inner city for a few years) have really opened my eyes and my heart to those less fortunate than me. I think I registered republican because my parents were ultra conservative. Republicans to me as a whole seem greedy and unwilling to give up anything to help out those with NOTHING. I give my time and money to anyone who needs help, being a christian it\'s the only way I see to live my life.