What is driving US debt?

JLM

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Nov 27, 2008
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When increasing the debt it is either good or bad depending on why you are increasing the debt.
For example if the debt levels go up for infrastructure its not so bad for two reasons. You are
increasing the value of your investment and providing jobs for workers and business opportunities
for companies bidding on contracts.
If the debt ratio is going up for war that is not a plus anymore.
Reagan, and Bush are among the worst and Obama did as well but for entirely different reasons.
George W gave everyone with a drivers licence six hundred dollars to go shopping if you remember
Obama did invest in ensuring the country didn't go broke. where I have a problem with his plan is
he didn't anticipate the greed of corporation heads who paid out bonuses with borrowed money.
His medicare plan is money well spent a healthy nation is a nation that is better off in the long run.

Investment on infrastructure is almost always good, depending on how it's done. We definitely need adequate infrastructure with some provision for future growth, we just have to make sure that crooked outfits don't get the contracts (like Gaglardi style 1950s) The burning question now is should it be continued as debt paid off by the taxpayer in general or should it be paid on a sliding scale by users depending on the amount they use it? I lean toward the later. (I don't think an old pensioner in Fort St. John should be paying for the Port Mann Bridge)
 

PoliticalNick

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Mar 8, 2011
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Did my prior post not show up? Or does everyone just want to ignore the elephant in the room?

As long as the govt can only create money by issuing interest bearing bonds there will never be a way out of debt. All the tax increases and spending cuts in the world aren't gonna help.

Let me try for simplicity.

You borrow $1000 from the bank for 1 year at 5% simple interest. You put the cash under your mattress for the year. At the end of the year you take the $1000 back to the bank to pay off the loan. Obviously you can't pay out the loan because you need $1050.

This is how our monetary system works. We can never pay out the debt because of the interest attached when the currency is created.
 

Goober

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Jan 23, 2009
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Did my prior post not show up? Or does everyone just want to ignore the elephant in the room?

As long as the govt can only create money by issuing interest bearing bonds there will never be a way out of debt. All the tax increases and spending cuts in the world aren't gonna help.

Let me try for simplicity.

You borrow $1000 from the bank for 1 year at 5% simple interest. You put the cash under your mattress for the year. At the end of the year you take the $1000 back to the bank to pay off the loan. Obviously you can't pay out the loan because you need $1050.

This is how our monetary system works. We can never pay out the debt because of the interest attached when the currency is created.

Do they not all depend on inflation for lowering the value of loans. And no I did not miss it.
 

PoliticalNick

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Investment on infrastructure is almost always good, depending on how it's done. We definitely need adequate infrastructure with some provision for future growth, we just have to make sure that crooked outfits don't get the contracts (like Gaglardi style 1950s) The burning question now is should it be continued as debt paid off by the taxpayer in general or should it be paid on a sliding scale by users depending on the amount they use it? I lean toward the later. (I don't think an old pensioner in Fort St. John should be paying for the Port Mann Bridge)

How about the Guernsey model to pay for infrastructure. They don't issue interest bearing bonds to generate the funds. They just print the money and it filters into circulation as the infrastructure gets built. No debt involved, no extra taxes, no spending cuts.

I cannot say it enough. Until the govt stops creating money from bonds that bear interest we are f*cked!
 

taxslave

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Investment on infrastructure is almost always good, depending on how it's done. We definitely need adequate infrastructure with some provision for future growth, we just have to make sure that crooked outfits don't get the contracts (like Gaglardi style 1950s) The burning question now is should it be continued as debt paid off by the taxpayer in general or should it be paid on a sliding scale by users depending on the amount they use it? I lean toward the later. (I don't think an old pensioner in Fort St. John should be paying for the Port Mann Bridge)

Should a non driver in the lower mainland pay for snowplowing in Ft. Nelson?
Probably a better question is should a tourist to BC use the new Pt. Mann bridge for free?
 

JLM

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Should a non driver in the lower mainland pay for snowplowing in Ft. Nelson?
Probably a better question is should a tourist to BC use the new Pt. Mann bridge for free?

You are asking difficult questions as no one is totally isolated. For your first question, probably not, for your second I guess it depends on two things.............how much we want tourists and I guess if they come here with say $200 to spend, does it matter whether it's spent on the bridge or in a restaurant or in a motel. With tourists we are talking buckshee money. :smile:
 

WLDB

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Jun 24, 2011
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I think it was Andrew Jackson that first abolished this system and it resulted in more than a few assassination attempts on him.

Well, every president has to deal with assassination plots or attempts. I imagine Jackson's response was something to see. Of all the Presidents the US has had I think he is the only one I could see taking on the assassin himself.

Should a non driver in the lower mainland pay for snowplowing in Ft. Nelson?

Wouldn't that be covered by municipal taxes?
 

beaker

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Jun 11, 2012
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beaker thinks that humans should move back into caves and eat raw twiggs and berries in the dark.. Anything else might pollute the environment....

I'll speak for myself, Taxslave. Apparently I am threatening you and your view of your entitlements, otherwise there would be no need for you to make up BS about me. That's tough. I'm guessing you still get your talking points from 1960s Social Credit pamphlets. By now we should realize that the era of get rich schemes at others expense is going to run into trouble. And that is all they were about. And now there is trouble.
 

taxslave

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Well, every president has to deal with assassination plots or attempts. I imagine Jackson's response was something to see. Of all the Presidents the US has had I think he is the only one I could see taking on the assassin himself.



Wouldn't that be covered by municipal taxes?

Only inside city limits, not the highway or all the sideroads.

You are asking difficult questions as no one is totally isolated. For your first question, probably not, for your second I guess it depends on two things.............how much we want tourists and I guess if they come here with say $200 to spend, does it matter whether it's spent on the bridge or in a restaurant or in a motel. With tourists we are talking buckshee money. :smile:

I was thinking more about the highly subsidized ferry system where taxpayers cover part of the cost of getting a tourist to the islands so the stores can flease them. It is the same as paying the airlines to bring tourists into BC. This is just a form of corporate welfare.

I'll speak for myself, Taxslave. Apparently I am threatening you and your view of your entitlements, otherwise there would be no need for you to make up BS about me. That's tough. I'm guessing you still get your talking points from 1960s Social Credit pamphlets. By now we should realize that the era of get rich schemes at others expense is going to run into trouble. And that is all they were about. And now there is trouble.

Not get rich at someone else's expense. It is about supplying a market with resources that we have and creating good jobs in remote areas and creating a revenue stream for governments to provide the services we require. This is the most important issue facing us.
You just want to destroy our economy .
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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Our oil industry is fledgling just like the alternatives are fledgling. If the CDN oil industry were shut down today, we'd still NEED a gateway or TMPL to bring oil in.

Here is the scoop. If you don't want Canadians burning coal or oil or nukes to make electricty, you are in luck.. We have so much natural gas it's coming out of our asses. The majority of coal fire plants are already using NG in the boilers to reduce emissions and bump up BTUs thus MWs. The coal can be dropped easily and the old boilers will use the NG until the end of their service lives as NG turbine plants are built to replace the old boilers.

Probably a better question is should a tourist to BC use the new Pt. Mann bridge for free?
Yes if a Canadian tourist. I paid for that monstrosity too.
 

Goober

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Jan 23, 2009
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You are asking difficult questions as no one is totally isolated. For your first question, probably not, for your second I guess it depends on two things.............how much we want tourists and I guess if they come here with say $200 to spend, does it matter whether it's spent on the bridge or in a restaurant or in a motel. With tourists we are talking buckshee money. :smile:

The question is - Are they alternative tourists.
 

beaker

Electoral Member
Jun 11, 2012
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...Not get rich at someone else's expense. It is about supplying a market with resources that we have and creating good jobs in remote areas and creating a revenue stream for governments to provide the services we require. This is the most important issue facing us.

No, it was get rich at someone elses expense, the native nations, anybody in the way of their developments, future generations... And we aren't learning, We still elect governments that think they are clever because they can sell our resources. Without realizing that the resources will disappear in short order and that they have sold us and our children short. We borrowed billions so that corporate greed could be satisfied. We have borrowed from our grandkids so that we can have the services you talk about. One thing we could do to have those services sustainable is to have a sustainable resource economy.

You just want to destroy our economy .

More BC BS. If you want to know something it is better to ask a question than it is to make up an answer.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
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I was thinking more about the highly subsidized ferry system where taxpayers cover part of the cost of getting a tourist to the islands so the stores can flease them. It is the same as paying the airlines to bring tourists into BC. This is just a form of corporate welfare.

With ferries I'm all for user pays. But even that can get rather complicated. Someone has to decide on the break down among passengers, vehicles and freight.

The question is - Are they alternative tourists.

Well, I was think of tourists with out of province plates.
 

Goober

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Jan 23, 2009
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Are the Soviet pricks with Soviet ideals that live in the settlements alternative Israelis?

My comment was satire -sarcasm- irony - and not intended as an insult to you or anyone posting in this thread
 

PoliticalNick

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Mar 8, 2011
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Having lived on the Island fkr 20 years I have to put in my 2 cents on the ferries. There should be a substantial discount for those with with a DL from the Island.