This Is Not the Age of Austerity
by Jason Bradley
Austerity has become a household word. It’s been mentioned and repeated so many times that Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary honored the term as its word of the year in 2010 — that’s how many web searches were conducted on the “austerity”.
Fiscal austerity is simply a means by the government to control spending and increase revenue. Presumably, this is done by reducing the amount of money it borrows in order to cut the fiscal deficit, find new and fun ways to raise taxes, while simultaneously cutting government programs. However, this is usually done during tough economic times. Those most affected by unfavorable economic conditions will also be hit the hardest by the newer tax burden and cuts in goods and services.
When Republicans took control of the House in January, they pledged to make deep cuts in federal spending, and in April they succeeded in passing a bill advertised as cutting $38 billion from fiscal 2011′s budget. Then in August, they pushed for a deal to cut an additional $2.4 trillion over the next decade. …
But data released by the Treasury Department on Friday show that, so far, there haven’t been any spending cuts at all.
In fact, in the first nine months of this year, federal spending was $120 billion higher than in the same period in 2010, the data show. That’s an increase of almost 5%. And deficits during this time were $23.5 billion higher.
Note the burst in federal spending in FY 2009; that was the ill-fated stimulus bill. In the two fiscal years since then, federal spending has resumed the inexorable climb that has been going on for decades. We are always hearing about budget cuts, but the reality is that government budgets are virtually never cut. Reallocated sometimes, but not cut.
It’s not my intent to give a lesson or to argue for or against. Besides, there’s no point in getting worked up about it. Our government has shown no inclination to consider austerity, either in whole or in parts.
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52 Comments
Oh Mr. Booooooeeeeeeehner……
Cat got yer tongue? Why so very quiet, about everything from SPENDING to GUNWALKER, hmmmmm? And how about all those Citations of Constitutional Authorizations? Hmmmmmm?
Ridiculous.
In the House – Meet the New Majority, same as the Old Majority.
Proof is in the pudding and this pudding is RANCID.
Today's Po folks along with today's libtards are going to have a hard time following your distinction, Jason.
They started out being too Po to pay attention in school and it was down hill from there.
Now look at them. They've sunk so low that they are practically marxists; socialists and communists.
The Age of Austerity.
Do you reckon that could be put to music, and turned into a musical? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Piq15q3s24Q&fe.... I remember when the Moon was in the Seventh House, and Jupiter aligned with Mars. I saw it foretold on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1969.
Are we there yet?
Liberalism is dying before our eyes, not with a whimper or a bang, but with a grand unbathed and so apropos whine-fest. The central tenets of statism are in free-fall, and its beneficiaries, namely those who live off the fruits of other people’s labor, are in a panic for one last round of government handouts before they completely bankrupt the nation.
Consider for a moment the tortured psyche of today’s American liberal. The 2008 election promised that “the smartest guy ever to become president” would “fundamentally transform the United States of America” into some liberal utopia. Wars would end. Seas would calm. And Barack Obama would spread the wealth. Instead, all he spread was misery as he unleashed the twin terrors of re-distributionist economics and government-controlled health care. Hope and change became despair and more of the same.
Austerity is ONLY for non-cronies (the 99% of people NOT in the political class and their friends)
Must be new math austerity.
So all this talk about pay-go and cuts in Washington is just smoke-and-mirrors?
And Obama's first module of the new jobs bill aims to throw money at the union workers in the public sector.
It would be a great time for some RESULTS here, Congress.
I disagree, Leftism is not dying, but rather getting more and more powerful. Marxists have taken over both major political parties, public schools, colleges, universities, newspapers, TV, cable, unions, magazines, most of journalism, government and just keep going and going, like the Borg, assimilating and destroying everything in its path.
I will miss this country.
Boehner is silent because Marxists have taken over the RINOpublican party.
Can we please have a two-party system in the USA? I heard it is a great idea.
$75 TRILLION BAILOUT….????
http://www.popmodal.com/video/9891/$75-TRILLION-B...
Soon.
This is currently the most abused word in the English language.
Austerity? Hell, it's not even "mildly uncomfortable" !!
You are as cold and reptilian as all the rest. So some in the 99% are 'too po.' as you put it. And that's what makes them mentally sink so low that… Right. You guys can't engage in a conversation without put-downs directed at those who are somehow at fault and should be blamed for their own bad luck not to have all that you have? Ever think it might be those 40- 50 year old broken down schools they are stuck with because the GOP would rather see Obama is a one term president than deal with the very people they count on for votes. I saw this very thing on Twitter yesterday, a Tweet by "BigGovt" claiming Obama isn't spending the money he should be spending on schools and education like you say he should be doing. The issue was over the (OMG!) purchase of iPads for students. What would you and your kind have them use? Chalkboards? Sure that's fine for them, because all of you are stuck in your own heads, concerned with your own little personal agenda and your sophomoric attempts to cut down the other side, you know the ones who like apple pie and you know that is a socialist plot, right? We all see through that. And at present, so do 63% of your own Party. Guess you're not among them, us — yeah there's that kind too. They end up in congress giving delusional speeches about Obama's Canadian bus. Like he picked it out, he made the choice. If you don't know better than that, they do, for Bush got the same thing and it is the Secret Service who makes the decision; not a president. But they stand there on the floor, ranting the same old mantras we are so used we just shake our heads and wonder how many like them believe they speak the truth. It was funny though, to hear Cantor 2 weeks ago being "deeply concerned over the "mobs" on Wall Street." And now? Seeing the global force of majority this thing has, he's actually claiming he knows there is (with worried face) a great financial inequality in America. Now there's a man who sticks by his principles. What hypocrisy. Can you explain this other hypocrisy to me? The GOP says we pay too much in taxes, then immediately do a 180 and say the middle class pays too little. You can't have it both ways and still think that those who DO use their ability to engage in critical thinking would ever take you seriously. Don't you guys see that? I guess not, since your conversations are themed on those beneath you and how dumb they are for being born poor. You should know that psychiatrists have an a name for this kind of behavior with its own set of diagnostic criteria. The disorder is called Malignant Narcissism. Go look that up in the DSM IV. You do know what the DSM IV is I hope, or weren't you paying attention in school? Probably not and that's one set of the criteria: do things you then blame others for doing. Well, here's a quarter, go buy a clue.
This rant does not deserve an answer. There is no answer for someone so angry with wind.
They think if it were not for people like us they would be. Harmony and understanding as long as you agree with solecism. Next is the age of leveling.
Austerity.
The method by which Governments incite the MOB to violent convulsions
The schools that I went to were way older than 40-50 years old.. Then I went to college. Paid my own way, BTW- working a number of part time jobs; many times two jobs with a full load in the sciences. That's right. Too Po to have suga daddy buy me my indoctrination. When I went to college, I noticed that the buildings were even older than my elementary and junior high school buildings. Seems like the age of the buildings had nothing to do with my paying attention, learning, studying, getting good grades, working my butt off to get where I am now, going to graduate school, getting a job, or paying my bills little S.
You know what the difference was back then? The Democrats hadn't had quite enough time to run our educational system into the ground as they have had in the past few decades. You know what the biggest factor is that those democrats who ran our educational system into the ground share, Snotty? They think like you. I did just fine with chalkboards. A Cray supercomputer probably wouldn't help you, but so help me, we're not buying one of those or a freaking ipad for today's skulls full of entitlement mush.
Go check up on your American Bus manufacturers and let me know what your anti-capitalist Cloward-Piven- destroy-America one-term president is doing to help them, and then you might gain some insight. Unless, that is, your socialist indoctrination is as malignant as it appears to be in your first post.
You are suffering from one of those afflictions that was politically removed after DSMIII?
Got a projecting, dyed-in-the-wool moron with this one, don't ya', Rebas?
You're absolutely right, Flexo. Unfortunately, I was already on a roll. Don't know what came over me…..
Yep. Kind of gay of 'm, I'd dare say…..and I don't usually dare say.
Standard qualifier: "Not that there is anything wrong with it"
thanks, Seinfeld….
Hey Snotty: We don't use the Diagnostic Statistical Manuals in Engineering.
But we didn't just fall off of the turnip cart.
You have yet to figure out how to get on it, don't you little feller?
One word, and a plural one at that: Paragraphs.
Makes reading much easier. I actually read a few lines twice by accident before I quit reading it altogether.
Heh heh. Me too.
What's Obama fixed? Elections don't count.
Me three. English teachers these days, though….too busy doing the Bill Ayers thing I guess…
Vienna have a good time when Germany invades Austerity.
Fomenting anarchy/revolution is time-consuming.
I am awestruck at your optimism.
Yeah, I remember the 2008 election giving us the smartest guy to ever become president; and I was wondering what kind of wag the dog spoof he was going to try to pull on us.
Turns out he screwed the pooch.
'Tis the dawning of the Age of Aquariums.
My main hope is that the useful idiots that they indoctrinated someday realize how badly they've been duped and demand their tuition money back. Or else beat it out of Bill Ayers and all of his clones.
No. I said "too po to pay attention", dufus. What? You weren't paying attention?
Although I do not agree with the ows protestors, I must say that they cannot be blamed for their mindset. They are a product of indoctrination that has been allowed to slowly and subtly been allowed into our schools from generation after generation. I just wonder who will bring us back to strong individual principles? Is it too late to fix this broken system?
The wealth filters down.
"The GOP says we pay too much in taxes, then immediately do a 180 and say the middle class pays too little. You can't have it both ways and still think that those who DO use their ability to engage in critical thinking would ever take you seriously."
Apparently you missed the non-linearity of the fact that the upper 1% already pays a disproportionately high percentage of the income tax receipts. That sharply *progressive* tax rate structure is what us critical thinkers believe needs to be replaced with something akin to the Fair Tax or the Flat Tax so that you little bed wetters can have some skin in the game- and pay for those big dollar welfare state entitlements that you keep foisting upon the rest of us.
"Turns out he screwed the pooch." He had all kinds of opportunity, but he screwed himself.
You're writing things off to fast. Think back on the last mid term elections and it's outcome. Our only salvation has been the Pubs in control of the house. That wasn't suppose to happen, but thanks to the Tea Party Movement, it did.
I'm optimistic in belief that 2012 will be even larger turn around than the last. The reason the left appear to have some strength, is because of control of the white house. When Obama leaves, the lefts power will also diminish.
I agree, that this country has changed, and not for the better.
Just doesn't seem right that the bottom feeders would get a chunk of it just because they are spending their days protesting rather than earning it.
same here
'Heard that he fixed up a bunch of dead people so that they could vote too…..
Let's say a miracle occurs and we get a congress with republicans in both chambers having majorities. Let's even say we even get a republican president. Or even better: A *gasp* conservative, actually somehow makes it to the White House.
What will they do about the Marxists in the rest of the government? All those left wing judges? All those bureaucrats? Even when Bush was in charge and had republican majorities in both chambers, we saw what garbage they did. Medicare Part D anyone? What about the public schools? Universities? Colleges? All those places where Marxists will continue to have power.
I look back to the 1995 Republicans and saw the awesome wonder they performed. Newt was actually awesome back then. Now he's just a Marxist and those tough budget cutters are long gone.
Until the RINOpublican party is exorcised of its Marxist demons, I have no hope that anything positive could happen in DC.
Yes, I see some signs of hope like Wisconsin. But remember: What one legislature does, another can undo. The rule never changes: The greatest danger to life, liberty and property occurs when the legislature is in session.
Watching the "debate?"
No, just picked up a few peeks at BBtv. Don't have cable, just DSL. Actually thinking of turning in and checking back tomorrow to pick up on some of the details.
Absolutely fantastic talking with you again, as always.
I fully agree with everything you say, and have empathy with your frustration. Yes our government have evolved, or I should say devolved into a mess, and den of who knows what that want our country to surrender to. They all, including the courts have drifted away from the Constitution and have to be reeled in.
Again, I am optimistic about the future of the Tea Party Movement, with their goals and objectives of bringing our government back to fiscal responsibility. If the TPM don't falter or deviate from their target, we may have a good chance of turning bad things and people around. It's going to painful, and take awhile to accomplish, but I honestly believe that when the other side resorts to name calling and abuse, than the TP's over the right target. IMO, the left is worried beyond comprehension.
We need one party, all of whom refer to themselves as Americans and filled with people who defend the Constitution – as opposed to what we have, to political factions sidestepping it and tromping all over it to usurp as much power, authority and money that they possibly can.
America, Americans, are neither well served by a party that claims to be something it is not nor a party that aims by its very nature and title to undermine the form of government itself.
I side with George Washington and repeat his warning about political faction.
Don't you care about "The People?"
Besides, there’s no point in getting worked up about it. Our government has shown no inclination to consider austerity, either in whole or in parts.
And so the only way through change is through the pain of failure. Collapse has to occur. There isn't any difference between both parties.
So much so that I wish they would wake up and get real, partner!
Tea Party Teamsters:
http://teapartyconservatism.blogspot.com/
cb750 above has a point. I was born in 1937, at a time when most Americans did not know how lawless the Roosevelt administration was, and I was raised during the 40s and 50s believing I was free. I swore an allegiance and served tin the army, as many young men my age did. As I grew more educated, my fervor to serve unconstitutionally lawless (mostly Democrat but some Republican) administrations waned and died. Events that began with Abraham Lincoln's unconstitutional War of Northern Aggression and subsequent Republican persecution of the south and lawless and unconstutional excesses has grown worse with every succeeding political administration.
I expect eventually we will see a separation of the United States into two American nations. One governed by tyranny and one governed by an even stronger (formerly U.S.) Constitution. I sure won't be supporting an unconstitutional regime in Washington, D.C. then.
What we need is a law on the books, that has the death penalty for corruption. And this is enforced by an independent prosecutor. Unfortunately, we need the same corrupt politicians to pass this law, so you know it won't happen.
THAT is the problem, not party politics – when politicians put their own selfishness above the needs of the country.
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