Politicians are supposed to raise taxes to pay the bills.  They are doing a poor job of it I must admit.

But that's what their sposed to do..

Politicians don't need to know how to build bridges, or repair them.  It is the engineers job to figure out how to spend the money that they are given by the politicans.  No one gets unlimited resources. It is the job of the engineers to figure out how best to use the limited resources they are given.  The further the politicans stay away from that job, the better off we all are.

"Politicians are supposed to raise taxes to pay the bills.  They are doing a poor job of it I must admit."

Oh really?? They are doing a bad job of raising taxes, or paying bills?? Which one is it??  How come tax reciepts are at an all time high???  I guess you must mean paying bills.  In health care, the government pays less than 59% of what they are billed, and then they pay it 9-12 months late. So you must mean that the politicans are doing a bad job of paying bills.  They have the tax dollars, they just won't pay their bills.

Ron Says:

How come tax reciepts are at an all time high??? 

TK says:

Inflation, unrealistically low interest rates, and the free printing of currency's.

What the likes of you fail to declare when you speak of tax receipts. Is that the receipts do not keep up with inflation. The National and California debt is increasing every year. Yes, this years deficit was lower than last. But next years deficit is expected to grow, to a huge deficit, even with Arnold's budget. All these artificial tax cut, inflationary economies are doomed to burst. Kennedy's ended in a 10% war supplemental tax in 1968. Reagan's ended in Bush Sr.'s Read my libs tax increase. Arnold's is going the same way next year. Bush Jr.'s is going up in flames within 8 months.

1.  Tax reciepts are at an all time high.  And it is not because of "inflation".  It is because of a robust economy, brought on by tax cuts.

2.  The inflation rate is 2.69%.

3.  Tax reciepts from October thru January were up 9.7%.  Your inflation myth is BS.  Reciepts are more than keeping up with inflation, liar.

4.  The deficit is not increasing from lack of tax reciepts.  It is coming from out of control spending. 

So again, please enlighten everyone on how a VAT will pay for health care when health care needs rise, yet people, because of the VAT, cut down on consumption?? It sounds like a facinating ponzi scheme this free universal health care you talk about.  Didn't your mother ever tell you there is no free lunch??  Or are you just trying to get a free lunch out of as many suckers as you can corral??

Robust economy. Where?

Wages adjusted for inflation are down. They have been down for the last 7 years.

Property values are down? This is a major source of state taxes and will drive receipts dramatically lower next year.

Your 2.69% inflation figure comes from I don't know where. The Bush and CNBC inflations figures do not consider all areas of the economy. Typically food and energy are not included.

Receipts have not kept up with inflation. The proof is in the deficit.

We go deeper into debt every year. You can't argue against that. That is a fact.

Either the economy did not improve enough to make up for the deep tax cuts. Or the economy is lousy. Call it what you will.

We are going broke.

America has been deceived by the Laffer curve. The Reagonists and the Bushites are laughing all the way to the bank.

Laffer drew a bell curve and said, see. Over here more taxes decrease receipts. Over here more taxes increase receipts.

While everybody said whoopee and ran away saying lower taxes are good.

I was saying:

Well duh! Okay So whats your point. Your chart looks pretty but means nothing unless you point out which side of the bell we are on today.

If we are on the left of the bell. On the side that shows increased taxes equating to increased receipts. Then lower taxes are bad. They lead to debt.

Kennedy, Reagan and Bush Jr. All decreased taxes to the point that the nation moved to the left hand side of the bell. That's why their tax reductions always lead to increased taxes at a latter date.

That's why we have gone further into debt, every year since the first tax reductions.

Cal says:I'd be interested to know what you think about the role Government (State, Local, or Federal) should do to address the most basic needs of the American tax payer. I would also be curious to know if you think that there are any other fundamental issues that are overlooked during this or other election cycles.

Lets see the most basic needs: give me a minute have to think about this, hang on be right there with a few.

Ok I have one, we need two more Senators to represent our new State, "OLD MEXICO"

We need more money to transport our minority WHITE CHILDERN to the best Mexican schools.

Loans should be given to the minority "Whites" we have enough Mexican Restaurants.

All sighs around "WATER" should have English Posted. "DANGEROUS WATER"

All Business'es should have the minority # 1 button in "English" not right the majority (MEXICANS) should be 1st.

All E/R's should allow the minority (WHITES") a few less days of waiting for Doctor services.

I have a extra bedroom but the CODE in Forcement of Bakersfield cant allow 15 "Whites" in one room.

The minority (WHITES") should be allowed to protect themselfs with, iilegal weapons.

The HARDEST part for me, having to follow a car doing 15 in a 65 MPH Zone we should be allowed our RIGHT of SPEED.

When I cross the Border and try to return WHY do they always DEMAND a PASSPORT.

Ron.

PS: I'm not changing my name to Ronalo Casttill AND THAT FENCE THERE BUILDING, THATS NOT TO KEEP UNWANTED'S OUT, IT'S TO KEEP US IN.

I am all for the fence.

But why should having a fence, mean we have to neglect our interstate highway system?

It is a capitalist for progress, law and order, fence. Leave it alone...

Actually works projects are a great way to spend tax payer money. They work to help the economy in a much better way than tax cuts for the wealthy.

Tax payers just have to watch out for the Haliburtons and their lot.