Here is the rub for me. We are in this recession because of what I call the real Bush* legacy. George W. Bush* ran up 10.5 Trillion Dollars in debt which he kept off the general ledger (Enron-type accounting maneuver). This was only publicly announced shortly after he left office. This huge debt piled up because of the Bush Tax Cuts, the Afghanistan war, the Iraq war (which I passionately opposed) and the passage of Medicare Part D, commonly referred to as a gift to the pharmaceutical companies.
I hold the Republicans responsible the condition we are in today. The Bush Tax Cuts have been largely credited with being the largest driver of our deficit. Yet, what do the Republicans demand in bipartisan compromise to ameliorate the deficit? They want to prostitute the formula for Social Security cost-of-living raises which will over a 25-year retirement cost the average retiree about $18,000*. The article I quoted also said Federal Government pensions would likewise be impacted.
In short, George W. Bush* implemented huge tax cuts which were not funded, then launched two wars and a give-away to the health industry, and the Republicans want to take a chunk out of Social Security and Government pensions to pay down the deficit. What about the defense budget? And what about Halliburton and The Carlyle Group, two of the largest profiteers of these wars, stepping up to the plate and paying their fair share of corporate taxes to assuage the problem....
Thank you for your response to my thread.
Sam
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