Sure it can. The deficit can be completely eliminated with the elimination of most of our entitlement programs.Originally Posted by Guynemer
I come from the land of the ice and snow
From the rust belt where industry won't go
That's a great idea, as long as there is some protection in place to avoid a rare but extremely partisan congress from being able to radically change provision of vital services just because they happen to be in power when the budget time comes along.
No sane person looks at a 0.82% tax rate for an incredibly wealthy person and thinks "yes, that seems about right".
Just putting that out there.
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
Budget time comes along every year. All spending is authorized in appropriations legislation that happens on a fiscal year basis. We don't spend money for multiple fiscal years at once.
xpost
Unless that sane person can do math and realizes that the tax is already hitting their income elsewhere. Note this requires the same abstract thought that demonstrates the fungibility of Albertan oil.
If there is no sound in space, how come you can hear the lasers?
:(){ :|:& };:
The senate hasn't passed a budget in...how long now? Three years? More?
I come from the land of the ice and snow
From the rust belt where industry won't go
By entitlement programs, you're obviously referring to the Department of Defense?
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
Cutting DoD wouldn't fix the deficit. Military spending hasn't grown in real terms, while medicare is legislated to grow without bound.By entitlement programs, you're obviously referring to the Department of Defense?
If there is no sound in space, how come you can hear the lasers?
:(){ :|:& };:
Dude, you really should concede Asher that oil fungibility argument, he's been kicking your ass with it for what seems like months now.
Well, kentonio doesn't understand it either, despite Jaguar and Kuci's valiant efforts. This is to be expected, I suppose.
If there is no sound in space, how come you can hear the lasers?
:(){ :|:& };:
Obviously not. Completely eliminating the military or even every single program besides entitlements would not get rid of the deficit. There aren't cuts to the military that we could make at this point which would make a serious dent in the long-term fiscal health of the country, not while entitlements consume more money than federal tax revenues and continue to grow.
(x-post to asher)
I come from the land of the ice and snow
From the rust belt where industry won't go
Plenty of fiscal conservatives, myself included, would be happy to support reductions in defense spending, along intelligent lines. Unfortunately, that's one of the hardest things to get congresscritters to agree to, as already proven by their unwillingness to cut programs the Pentagon has itself suggested cutting, due to their local effects...
<Reverend> IRC is just multiplayer notepad.
I like your SNOOPY POSTER! - While you Wait quote.
Except for when it's not, which a sane person can discover by doing some basic research.
Why do you keep embarrassing yourself by bringing that up?Note this requires the same abstract thought that demonstrates the fungibility of Albertan oil.
In numerous threads now you've cowered with your tail between your legs whenever I enter this debate (undoubtedly hoping KH or Kuci comes riding to your rescue so you can parrot 'QFT' after). Even if you google the subject, you'll find that egghead academic economists with no foot in the real world will say oil is entirely fungible, while economists who actually live and work in the field will demonstrate otherwise.
You do not understand the oil industry, and frankly you never will.
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
If Canadians are so happy, why do all the ones who are worth a **** leave the country?
That'll never happen, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that the only thing the majority of Americans agree on in wanting to cut spending is foreign aid, which accounts for less than 1% of the budget, but our dumbass country thinks is somewhere around 10%.
Americans are big ****ing babies. We want it all--big ass military, roads, law enforcement, health care, social security, etc.--and don't want to pay for ****. We all have to pay for it--all of us. Denial of this is tantamount to a nationwide suicide pact.
"My nation is the world, and my religion is to do good." --Thomas Paine
"The subject of onanism is inexhaustable." --Sigmund Freud
Jaguar, line 1!
I come from the land of the ice and snow
From the rust belt where industry won't go
I've explained it plenty of times. Your stubborness is hilarious.
If there is no sound in space, how come you can hear the lasers?
:(){ :|:& };:
QFT
Negatory on 2 and 3. We'd rather see public employee pensions stay the same than have decent road networks or adequate law enforcement.
If there is no sound in space, how come you can hear the lasers?
:(){ :|:& };:
Please link to your explanation and refutation of my detailed, logical arguments. They do not exist.
You said hilarious things like "all Saudi Arabia needs to do is produce more oil!". Because as we all know, overnight Saudi Arabia can increase its production by 10 or 20 million barrels per day.
Do you understand that oil projects take many, many years to come to fruition? We're talking about decades in many cases.
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
Reading is fundamental, youngling.
x-post
"My nation is the world, and my religion is to do good." --Thomas Paine
"The subject of onanism is inexhaustable." --Sigmund Freud
This is why I've advocated decentralizing power back to the states. Competition between governments is the key to driving spending down. Race to the bottom, *****es! The reality, though, is that if we don't cut entitlements, the simple arithmetic of the situation will do it for us, and not in a good way.
I come from the land of the ice and snow
From the rust belt where industry won't go
Err, they don't?
Eg, Ben Kenobi - American Patriot.
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
They don't even need to be able to do it overnight. Simply knowing that they will means that the price of oil will adjust for future scarcity or abundance. This is how it works with EVERY COMMODITY. We have literally centuries of data to back this up.
If there is no sound in space, how come you can hear the lasers?
:(){ :|:& };:
I was largely agreeing with you, and throwing in my own criticism.
If there is no sound in space, how come you can hear the lasers?
:(){ :|:& };:
I now understand why you think you're correct. You do not even understand the basis of the debate.
Do you know what fungible means? It has nothing to do with price adjustment.
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
It's really a shame that Asher isn't working at a commodity exchange. With his obviously correct commonsense folk economics at the helm, he could transform the industry.
If there is no sound in space, how come you can hear the lasers?
:(){ :|:& };:
I come from a family of people who live and breath the oil industry. Many of my close friends work in it.
This isn't commonsense folk economics, it's real world practicality.
Look up what fungible means, re-read my arguments, and concede...
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
His argument the whole time has been "No, you don't understand, it's impossible to change oil supply lines! What, you think you can just rent a tanker and use it to transport things? That's really hard! You can't just do that!"
And Kuci and HC have been saying "Um, yes, you totally can."
"You're the biggest user of hindsight that I've ever known. Your favorite team, in any sport, is the one that just won. If you were a woman, you'd likely be a slut." - Slowwhand, to Imran
Eschewing silly games since December 4, 2005
Let's re-examine the context of the debate.
I was making the hypothetical case of Canada suspending oil shipments to the USA. I said this would radically **** the USA in the short-term.
You replied that "no it won't, it's fungible!".
Oil (like any form of energy) can be replaced in the long-term. But in the short-term, you cannot. It's not fungible in the short-term.
You cannot magically increase your imports from overseas to match the lack of imports from Canada within any short time period (~5 years). There's infrastructure and logistical concerns, compounded with the fact that oil from around the world varies significantly and each type has its own refineries. You can't just take oil from Saudi Arabia and refine it in the midwest.
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
Exactly. And they're complete ****ing idiots who don't know anything about the industry if they think "you totally can" in the short term.
"The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "
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