Turning Around our Nation's Financial Future

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   sonfollowersposted 12 years ago

   How does the United States of America fix it's economy, lower it's national debt, and leave our children with a country worth living in?  What are the core issues, and why is it so difficult to be financially healthy as a nation?  Where do we go from here?  Can this problem be solved in Washington with legislation and presidential declarations?  Or is it a problem that's completely out of their control?

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   1. 71

      Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      America is already a country worth living in.
      
      It does have some issues and yes the Economy is one of them. It's unfortunate that the people who were elected to office don't actually service the public, but do their own interests. This is more than obvious than ever before.
      
      There's simply too much distortion and misinformation coming either from politicians or media, which continues to keep a good portion of the citizens from learning what it needs to learn. There's too many views on how to go about fixing things, yet no one is willing to step forward with a real plan. Well, almost no one. Anyone stepping up the plate, must be willing to clarify it's plan forward, be able to sustain political hammering and outwit the upper 1% of America's wealthiest. The status quo is the first thing that needs to go- what's that? I'm glad you asked- "corporate protectionism" done by government.
      
      If the government is going to continue to support badly operated companies, then no solution can be set in motion. If government is going to continue to protect companies from failing, then smaller business will not be able to grow, because the UPPER 1% who controls the companies that are failing, will get government bailouts, so as to suppress smaller companies from growing. If government is going to continue it's poor spending on military and wars, instead of fixing the educational system(nationally), then nothing will change.
      Some of the core issues are not issues at all, but are made issues to divide the people up into groups, so government can continue on, with business as usual. There are just some things that society, as a whole, shouldn't be dealing with. Things that should be set in stone and left alone. One would be the pathetic abortion debate- it's a rights issue and has already been settled- abortion is legal. Leave it alone. Gays/lesbian rights- they have a right to live their life how they choose, grant them their rights and leave it alone.
      Teach people their role in society. (a) getting a proper education, (b) do not infringe upon the rights of others, (c) change foreign policies, (d) change domestic policies, (e) close loopholes in many laws with regards to corporations, (f) reform social security, medicare and medicaid, (g) reform tax laws, (h) eliminate as much corruption from upper political offices and (i) reform election laws.
      No. Tyranny isn't an answer to the problems.
      It appears out of control, however, it can be done.

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      1. 79

         sonfollowersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         "America is already a country worth living in. "
         
         I'm concerned about what this country will be like economically when my son is out on his own.  I'm concerned about the value of the dollar compared to other currencies.  I'm very concerned about the national debt and whether or not some class of elected officials in the not too distant future will actually address the problem rather than simply raising the debt ceiling.
         
         It seems extraordinarily ignorant to me that we throw money into so many non-essential government programs and we continue to borrow money from other countries because years from now it will be some other politician's problem to pay it off.  Pass the buck.  So we pass the buck to our children who will inherit a country significantly suckier than I inherited when I graduated from high school. 
         
         "It does have some issues and yes the Economy is one of them. It's unfortunate that the people who were elected to office don't actually service the public, but do their own interests. This is more than obvious than ever before."
         
         Agreed.  It doesn't really matter which side of the aisle it is.
         
         "The status quo is the first thing that needs to go- what's that? I'm glad you asked- 'corporate protectionism' done by government."
         
         i very much agree with this.  Our society ultimately has moved away from the idea of accountability.  We don't want anyone to suffer for their own stupidity.  If you blew all your money at the casino, we want to bail you out  and even support you and your gambling habit.  And now we've decided that businesses shouldn't be held accountable either.  It sets a terrible precedent.  Where do you draw the line?  States, counties, and cities are waiting for handouts as well.  If we do not reep what we sow, what incentive does a person or business have to sow well and sow wisely?  Our politicians are not sowing wisely right now, and eventually we will reep the consequences of that if we don't turn the ship around quickly.

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         1. 71

            Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Your son should fundamental knowledge he can use and truly understand it, so regardless of what happens, he can adapt and still survive. Unfortunately, it's not properly to students nowadays.
            Then you have a real problem. The U.S. dollar isn't America's currency to begin with, which is one of the problems. The U.S. was outlawed from using "paper" money centuries ago on the open marketplace. The "paper" money used are IOUs. Why? Because America is broke and has been for a long time.
            The national debt? Or the accumulative debt of America? Pick one. The National Debt isn't much compared to the accumulative debt of America, which is actually owed.
            America has not choice but to borrow money. It doesn't generate a surplus, because it doesn't actually make money.
            This is what I call- debt system, which is what America operates based on presently and it's a no-win situation.
            This is by-product of the debt system.
            Good to know we agree on something.
            Good to know we agree on something else.
            Accountability? More like consequences. Big business operates on almost no boundaries, due to the status quo.
            Well, this statement is something I am not sure what to do with. It's government and generations of parents beforehand, causing the stupidity of today's generation. Government not spending or funding proper education and parents from previous generations, informing children that they must take a direct path, which isn't the right path. I know, all I have to do is look at my own father and mother.
            This statement I don't agree with. And, will not address it, because it's not a major problem compared to others.
            Like I said- that's the staus quo.
            The status quo is a bad precedent.
            There cannot be a line drawn. Each state, county and city should be ridding itself of corruption, cutting costs and not (all) programs, but some.
            Yes, consequences should be something government should do with regards to businesses and how they operate....meaning some sort of regulations, but those regulations must be corruption free. Example: Make a Wish Foundation in 2000 was the TOP Non-profit Charity on a list of 200 companies who used 1% of it's total revenue for what it claimed. What's appalling is that Federal regulations requires a MIN of 5%, yet none of those two hundred companies were ever fined or held accountable for their actions. It's a blatant atrocity.
            Correct, which is why I am of the understanding that it is high time to put a buffer in-between government and citizens. Thus, bring citizens on a united front to hold politicians fully accountable.

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2. 0

   Emile Rposted 12 years ago

   It's difficult to be outside of the system and know, for sure, how to fix it. I don't think our government, as it now functions, is up to the task. If I were to try I'd do the following.
   
   Stop pork barrel politics. Change the tax system to a flat tax, no deductions. Leave the tax rate as it stands at first, but lowering the percentages as things got back on track. And pass a law that no lobbyists were allowed to have any contact with public officials.
   
   I'd pull all troops back onto American soil. Stop spending billions on wars. Stop footing the bill for the western world's desire to police the world.
   
   I'd put a moratorium on financial aid to other countries for five years.
   
   And I'd insist on a balanced budget. Taking into account paying off the national debt within a specified time frame.
   
   I wouldn't touch any program that benefited Americans until I had cut handouts to other nations.

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   1. 79

      sonfollowersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      When you say flat tax are you specifically talking about the proposed "fair tax"? 
      
      I totally agree that we have to start making cuts.  For some reason our political leadership refuses to do that.  And I think there are plenty of things to cut.  From my perspective, it's time to put the country on financial life support.  What expenses are absolutely required to keep the nation alive and functioning?  NASA?  I would scale it way back.  I love space exploration as much as the next 7 year old, but I think we can live without it right now.  I totally agree about not giving handouts to other countries.  I just don't think we need all of the government programs we have (too many pet projects). 
      
      I support reduced troop involvement as long as Americans remain safe.  I don't think for a minute that Al Qaeda will stop hating us and trying to kill us if we simply bring everyone home and say "Sorry for the inconvenience."  The other thing that's tricky about bring home the troops is that it's in our best interest to support the new allies we have in the Middle East (Afghanistan, Iraq).  Those governments are friendly to the U.S.  We don't want them to be toppled by radicals.  Even Obama seems to recognize the wisdom of this, since he didn't simply tell the military to abandon their posts the moment he took office.
      
      Their HAS to be a balance budget.  It's insane that we haven't bothered to do that.  If a family refuses to have a balance budget, eventually bankruptcy will find them.  It's simply a matter of time.  You can't borrow and borrow endlessly as if there are no consequences.
      
      Another problem I think must be addressed is the personal debt and endless borrowing of individuals across the country.  I believe that personal debt is largely what is stifling this economy.  People are so constricted by the interest they pay out every month that they can't spend money on themselves.  I don't know what we could necessarily do about that but I think it might be the biggest problem with our economy.  This country would be so much more healthy economically if credit card companies, pawn shops, title pawns, and similar bottom feeders were outlawed.  I know that sounds extreme, but people should just live within their means.  Their money would actually benefit them instead of banks and bottom feeders and they would have less stress.  I would also like to shoot casinos and lotteries in the head, which basically amount to a voluntary tax on "stupid" people.  In fact, poor people are the most likely to voluntarily throw money away on these things, ensuring that they remain poor.

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3. 61

   Moderndayslaveposted 12 years ago

   It looks like the younger generation sees the writing on the wall....St.
   http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar … 207970.de1

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   1. 79

      sonfollowersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I couldn't access this link for some reason.  I got a page with only the heading displayed and an error message from the browser.

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4. 60

   Evan G Rogersposted 12 years ago

   Add more freedom.

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