Unbelievable ...

[Issachar]

It is not amazing that the federal government will print money to pay for the NE storm damage. It IS amazing that state officials will openly, publicly, say it.

New York top finance official, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, said Washington should foot the bill, because of lingering financial pressures on state and local governments from the 2007-09 recession.

"I think the focus will have to be on Washington, for obvious reasons," DiNapoli told Reuters in an interview.

"They have greater resources. They can print money; we can't do that here. And given the fact this is not just a New York disaster, it's really a national disaster, it's probably for the federal goverment to step up and play a significant role."

"The problem is the state is limited in its resource capacity. We just put out the mid-year report a week or two ago and it really showed tax revenues are down," DiNapoli said.

Most U.S. states must balance their budgets, unlike the federal government, . . .

more

"just print the money" ?? I'm certain these people have some letters after their name from various universities. But .. what sort of education teaches this? U of K? (Keynesian) See post #6 here.

Issachar

[Guest]

Re: Unbelievable ...

The "I deserve it because I'm needy" emotion seems to be one of the basic human emotions. Didn't God emphasize the concept of corporate (in this case governmental not big business) charity? No? Oh.

Just remember, my friend, "States Rights" includes the right to beg, grovel, and otherwise be illeterate. And obviously, greed can be found at some of the highest levels of government - as well as "incompetence," by the way.

[Issachar]

Re: Unbelievable ...

I find it interesting that cities, counties and the nation, can't seem to grasp .. don't want to grasp .. the notion that things break; stuff happens. Within a household, we know that there are regular bills to pay .. insurance, utilities, rent/mortgage, property tax, etc. We also know that there are irregular expenses .. e.g. water heater leaked/broke, roof replacement, automobile breakdowns .. and a wise household will budget each months expenses as well as set aside something each month because of the unplanned eventualities. If something catastrophic occur .. a house fire or car accident for example .. we have insurance.

A city/state/nation KNOWS that roads will need repair, bridges need repair, traffic control systems, sewer/water systems, etc., all need repair/maintenance/replacement. So they need to figure out what the cost of all this is, and tax the people who use all this; i.e. everyone .. accordingly. It would be wise for local-national governments to raise taxes EVERYTIME they pass an expenditure. If they have money set aside for road repair and they need to install some (way too expensive) traffic lights near, say, a school, they need to NOT touch that road repair fund .. they need to raise everyone's taxes until it's paid for, then go back to the previous taxation.

If the government wants to spend money on something .. fine. Spend it. But it MUST be funded first, by taxpayers. There are 435 of these "representatives" in Washington that are supposed to .. go figure .. represent their constituents. If their constituents (after talking to them and getting their input LOL) say no, then that representative needs to be in Washington voting no. If enough say no .. the people of the country saying no .. then too bad about the program/expenditure under discussion; it goes away because "the people" didn't want it .. at least, not at the proposed cost.

If a mayor wants to spend $40,000 on flowers around town, fine. Set a box out front of city hall for that and when it reaches $40,000, get them planted. But DON'T take it out of the somethingwillgowrongsomeday fund because when it does, it will be $40,000 short. This is not rocket science. Everyone knows how it should work. Most though, instead, simply say spend, spend, spend .. "it'll all work out somehow." Not.

Nothing will get fixed in this nation, or any particular state or city, until this is done. It's not my idea. It's not anyone's idea. It's just sensible. The universe doesn't work by getting something, from nothing. The same people that complain about too many bankruptcies, house foreclosures, etc. and how it affects them and their property "values", mostly seem to not mind the fact that they are driving on unfunded roads, bought by debt, sending their children to unfunded government schools, living free because of an underfunded military, etc., etc., etc. .. These New Jersey Senators asking for the federal government to "just print the needed money" would just as likely pass legislation to prosecute individuals, as they should, that write bad checks. But somehow, it is "ok", if the government does it. Not.

Dear Government;

Spend all you want. Spend to your hearts content. Just make sure the taxpayers are willing to have their taxes raised accordingly. And if you should ever wake up and see through wiser eyes and should start spending less than you have, and have a surplus beyond the monthly/quarterly payments you must make and beyond the rainy day funds, then return the excess to those that worked for it.

Love, citizen

I don't think a civilized society should let those among it, that have fallen on hard times, just die. Give them the help they need until things can turn around. While they're getting help, let them plant those flowers in the boulevard, pick up debris, fill pot holes .. you know; labor. It's good for them and it's good for society as a whole.

Of course, none of the above or variations, will happen.

Issachar

[Guest]

Re: Unbelievable ...

In my state, we've seen a plethora of "interesting" political ads -

"He (the other guy) wants to end social security."

"He (other guy) wants to end student loans."

"He (other guy) wants to take away your xyz (abortion-related) rights."

Etc. ad naseuem.

I sure hope "He" wins. The incumbent spends $$ like water.

[Issachar]

Re: Unbelievable ...

The incumbent spends $$ like water.

Just for laughs ...



Cut the deficit in half . . . Sure. How about doubling instead? How about more than doubling?



Issachar

[Guest]

Re: Unbelievable ...

Iss, you will like the Columbus Dispatch evaluation of him 4 years and today as they endorsed Romney. We used to live in Westerville (NE Suburb).

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stor...president.html

In 2008, The Dispatch warned of the problems that would result if Barack Obama were chosen as president. Noting the scant experience that Obama offered the nation in 2008 — eight unremarkable years in the Illinois Senate and less than one term in the U.S. Senate — the newspaper said:

The Dispatch also noted: “Nor does it seem likely that a man who has traveled in the left lane of American politics for his entire adult life really is the bipartisan centrist that he claims to be.”

[Guest]

Re: Unbelievable ...

Our delightfull representitive Bob Filner is now running for San Diego mayor.
The public employee pension fund has a huge shortfall mostly because of corrupt backroom dealings......... to make the public employee unions happy and to to buy their votes Filner says he will BORROW MONEY from wall street to make up the difference

He seems to think that the San Diego gov't can print the money to pay off these loans....... but by then, he plans to be California governor senator or GASP
Even President.......
AND the people will have huge new taxes to pay......

He has proven to be one of the most personally unpleasant people around--
Just ask the woman airline baggage person he assaulted-- anyone else would be facing jail time, but not Bob Filner....... Even Bill Clinton is shilling for him
....... Bill and Hillary said Filner was a ""treasure"" to them in congress...

[Issachar]

Re: Unbelievable ...

It is my opinion that any public employee, in any state, should, so far as they are able, get their money out of these pension funds. Though no government should have the right to even think about taking other's money, let alone actually do it, they are and have and will. Imagine government wanting people's retirement money and having to ask the savers instead of stealing it. How many would say, "Sure." or "Go ahead, I don't need it right now. Take whatever you want." Zero perhaps?

Issachar