Sequestration Sacrifices Jobs to Save Billionaire Tax Breaks

[ProfessionalLeftist]

There is a great deal of talk about how Republican senators have gone off the rails in their opposition to the nomination of former Senator Chuck Hagel to serve as secretary of defense. And there have been some bizarre deviations, with senators making pronouncements based on internet rumors and unfounded speculation.

But none of the fantastical filibustering of the Hagel fight can compare with the delusional dialogue regarding the federal budget.

To hear the billionaire proponents of austerity tell it, America is teetering on the brink of economic ruin. America, we are told, is broke. And the only answer is to “Fix the Debt” with deep spending cuts followed by the radical reordering of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

But America is not broke.

America has broken priorities.

MORE...

http://www.thenation.com/blog/173052/sequestration-sacrifices-jobs-save-billionaire-tax-breaks#

[burnsei sensei]

1. So much for shared sacrifice.

nt

[indepat]

2. I like Hank Paulson, but think patriotic duty requires him to pay Federal income tax of at least

40% on an income reported to be $5 billion and unpatriotic for the Congress not to require such of him and all those earning mega-incomes, no matter the source of that income (dividends, capital gains, carried interest, the whole smear).

[liberal_economist]

3. 'the delusional dialogue regarding the federal budget'

I think there's a major problem with our arguement.

It's calling this is 'austerity', which it's not. Austerity would be if the government spent less than it did last year, which would make the arguement reasonable that cuts would bring upon a sudden loss in jobs.

However, spending is going up, not down, theres literally no cuts at all, only cuts in spending INCREASES. So spending is infact going up, and there is infact no austerity at all.

So if these agencies operated ok last year, or yesterday, why would they not be able to operate next year, or tomorrow, when theyre still getting additional funding...it makes no sense.

any talk of layoffs and services ending is pure washington monument syndrome, its scaretactics.

[Octafish]

4. The same turds who benefited most from Reagonomics also looted the Treasury and Banks.

Give 'em a bonus.

Know your BFEE: Goldmine Sacked or The Best Way to Rob a Bank Is to Own One

Henry Paulson, Banker to the BFEE

Know your BFEE: WikiLeaks Stratfor Dump Exposes Continued Secret Government Warmongering

Not.

[Bucky]

5. Sure, but it's unimportant moocher government jobs...

like cops, teachers, firefighters, emergency preparedness officials, street cleaners.... Bah, what good do they do?