Comments on: Doug Hoffman’s Cunning Plan to Reduce the Deficit: Cutting Earmarks, Taxes

By: marcos

marcos — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:25:38 +0000

Why does the US have an archipelago of about 1,000 military bases strewn around the world when we can’t take care of our own at home?

Exactly what does the Department of Defense defend again?

By: OldFatGuy

OldFatGuy — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:36:48 +0000

Making him either a liar or an idiot.

I don’t think those are mutually exclusive. I’m pretty sure he’s both.

By: sad4america

sad4america — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:22:34 +0000

I looked at the statement …

Imagine if every company giving their employees healthcare had those costs reduced 10% and that savings was given back to the employees to spur consumer demand?”

as any company offering health insurance to their employees. And yes I do believe smart businesses would use extra money to grow their business. You can look at it in 2 ways… guess which I choose. 1. They are greedy bastards that only want money money for themselves. or 2. They want to grow their business who will see that by doing so not only will it benefit themselves now but also in the future because of all the benefits that emanate from having more people employed and having a broader scope in you field or industry.

But no I pointedly did not ask for higher wages because business growth and true competition will produce that how I explained. Also of course companies would be stupid to hire more workers just because they have a new influx of cash from savings. An employer can hire an infinite amount of people granted those employees can generate more income than they cost to hire. If both employees and employers understand this the economy would be different with many more success stories and much less whining.

By: sad4america

sad4america — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:13:20 +0000

Yes I conceded that, but only slightly elaborated sorry I did not continue with a complete disclosure even deeper on both sides

By: dakine01

dakine01 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:05:53 +0000

You really think the insurance companies will use the money for more workers and pay higher wages? Seriously?

By: selise

selise — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:05:23 +0000

attempting to reduce the fed deficit at this time (high unemployment, high private sector debt) is sheer lunacy.

By: dakine01

dakine01 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:04:54 +0000

You do realize with all of your vast knowledge in accounting rules and such that one of the easiest things for companies like the insurance industry to do is cook the books with write-offs such as they appear to have limited profits don't you. If not, you might read this post from masacico last night.

By: sad4america

sad4america — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:04:13 +0000

or even better giving to the company so they could expand their business and higher more workers. I don’t need more money. I want more jobs availiable so I can choose where to work and get higher wages because I deserve it and can go to another company who understands this because I can show them. Selfishness in the name of the greater good of the economy is crap because it is just selfishness. The liberal rally cry was spread the wealth and that is totally not the truth, because unless you personally are willing to sacrifice the is pure selfishness.

By: sad4america

sad4america — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:59:52 +0000

Well insurance companies have a 2%-3% profit margin on average. These companies have higher salary but not benefits but yeah their could be some savings. Having the government be THE insurance company though would be another degree of separation between the American people and the cost of actually health care not insurance costs. The country needs to look at the actual cost of health care and what drives these costs and what is possible to bring intelligent change to the system. Our government and many people focus on the insurance reform and who pays for what and how all the people are being “screwed over”. The costs of health care need to be addressed and to many people don’t go to the doctor even considering the costs because they don’t want to, that is why we “need change” becuase Americans have lost touch with this part of their life and don’t want to look at the reality that the cost of our great advances in health and medicine is huge.

By: rich2506

rich2506 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:55:14 +0000

It never occurred to me that Reagan’s constant citing of the “welfare queen” was racist until Krugman mentioned it. Then I was like “Ooooh, yeah…”