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Lange will make next generation stronger
As a politics and economics major at Loras College, I understand the impact of a crushing debt load. As a student and young person, I also understand that unless Congress and other political leaders rein in government spending, my generation will not inherit the same America my parents did.
Since the election of Barack Obama in 2008, Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, has voted time and time again to advance Obama’s wasteful and ineffective agenda. He voted for the almost $800 billion stimulus package that, three years later, has left nearly half of college graduates unemployed and looking for work in their first year in the job market. With programs like this the norm in Washington, how can hardworking college students accomplish our dreams after the investment of a college education?
Congressional candidate Ben Lange understands the idea of leaving the next generation a better country than you received. He is focused on paying down the deficit and making the tough decisions necessary to create private-sector growth, the backbone of any strong economy. His message of jobs and fiscal responsibility and restoring the generational compact resonates with college students.
College students trust Lange and we will be there in November.
Patrick O’Grady
Dubuque
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I hope your studies have included some courses in recent political history, Mr. O’Grady, but, if they did, their lessons certainly did not take very well. You need to do some fact-checking.
As a college student myself, I understand the necessity to bring down student debt and believe in a Representative who is an ally on this issue. Bruce Braley is that advocate. His record is clear; time and time again Bruce stands up for students in voting to reduce student debt. He voted to make sure our student loan interest rates would not increase. Student debt is an important issue to college student, and Ben Lange would choose banks and deregulation over students.
This November college students across Iowa’s first congressional district will be at the polls voting for their only advocate, Representative Bruce Braley.
Patrick, you have so much to learn.
Have you ever thought seriously and honestly about what would have happened if the stimulus package had not happened? We were on the verge of a total economic meltdown. Go back to your studies and learn what that would have meant to you and your classmates.
Mr Greer, After the $800 billion dollars we are still on the verge of a total economic meltdown.
I see no evidence of a “total economic meltdown”. Please cite your source.
I do believe we could be on the verge of another recession, especially if Romney wins. He embraces the Ryan budget which would result in a significant number of job losses.
http://www.epi.org/blog/paul-ryan-budget-discretionary-cuts-cost-jobs/
Mr Greer, How about the $15 trillion dollar deficit we have with our government showing no guts as how to address it. 43 cents of every tax dollar taken in just to service the debt. If this isn’t a economic train wreck about to happen I don’t know what is.
So, what you said as if were a fact, is not a fact at all. It is only your opinion.
Mr Greer So what your saying is a $15 trillion dollar deficit is not in fact a financial melt down? That is a fact and not a opinion.
Yes, a $15 trillion debt is not a financial melt down. Perhaps, you haven’t noticed that the GDP continues to go up, albeit slower than we would like. We’ve only had one real meltdown and that was the Great Depression.
They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Perhaps that’s Lang’s methodology.
Patrick, I find it hard to believe an economic major at Loras, which is a fine college, would not understand the economic effects that would have taken place without the stimulus program. If you want a quick reference just Google the Great Depression and you will see what brought our nation out of the Great Depression; hint: it was government demand for war supplies, artillery, and other war associated costs that were primarily financed through borrowing by the government. It surely wasn’t austerity measures imposed. Look at Great Briton to see the terrible effects of imposing austerity measures during a recession. You need to read your economics textbook a little closer. And by the way your student debt was your decision only.
The only way to reduce the countries debt is to raise taxes and cut spending. Both of which the politicians don’t or are not willing to do.
The Democrats make noises that they are will to do both though perhaps less on the cut spending side than the Republicans. The Republicans seem unwilling to even consider raising taxes.
Anyone who thinks we can reduce the deficit without a tax increase is a fool. Our tax rates are the lowest they have been in a very long time. Total revenue, as a percentage of GDP is 15.9%, compared to a historical norm of about 19%.
This chart projects revenues going up in the next few years but note that this chart assumes the Bush tax cuts will expire as scheduled. If the Bush tax cuts are extended, total revenue will remain at historical lows and it will be impossible to reduce the debt.
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/displayafact.cfm?Docid=205
Thanks for posting that site, Mr. Greer. It’s one many people should refer to regularly, because it gives factual numbers, rather than the fantasies some folks live to spread. I have it bookmarked and refer to it often.
The thing you guys aren’t taking into account is a better economy or tax reform.
Or if it’s more taxes you want, the healthcare is one big tax.
Anyone who thinks we can reduce the deficit with nearly half the population paying NO TAX and nearly half the population receiving government handouts is a bigger fool. Not to mention nearly 50 trillion in UNFUNDED liabilities!
America is bankrupt no matter who wins the next election. Of course if Romney wins it will be all his fault! How stupid.
Mr .Ahart, Libs just don’t seem to get it on our national debt so let’s put into perspective. If Jesus started a business the day he was born and that business lost one million dollars a day every day of the year his business would not have lost a trillion dollars yet by July 28th 2012……. And we are $15 trillion dollars in the hole plus all of the unfunded liabilities. You can tax the 1% the 2% the 3% all the way up to the 48%, the ones who still pay taxes and it isn’t even close to covering all of our liabilities.
I guess many of you have forgotten that we had a budget surplus and we were paying down the national debt just a few years ago, in the last years of the Clinton term.
To return to those days we need to both cut spending and raise taxes – a balanced approach. We cannot do it by spending cuts alone or tax increases alone.
Mr. Greer, We haven’t forgotten the budget surplus of the Clinton years, our elected officials are the ones who forgot. It is time to vote out the members of congress who refuse to recognize our fiscal problems be it a democrat or republican and elect represenatives that are willing to deal with it.
I agree and I think we start by realizing that any politician who refuses to consider revenue increases as part of the solution is one who “refuses to recognize our fiscal problems”.
I guess Libs conveniently forget that Clinton passed N.A.F.T.A. that resulted in tens of thousands of American factories closed and tens of millions of jobs shipped overseas. He did however succeed in filling Walmart with cheap junk made from slave labor.
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2010-09-27/news/30349275_1_deindustrialization-debt-bubble-post-industrial
How does this accusation against Clinton invalidate the point that under his leadership we had a surplus and started paying down the debt?
Clinton both restrained the growth in government spending and raised taxes and it worked. The only president who has restrained the growth in government spending more since Eisenhower is President Obama. http://articles.marketwatch.com/2012-05-22/commentary/31802270_1_spending-federal-budget-drunken-sailor
I find it amusing when the Clinton administration comes up. When you talk with republicans, the republican Congress gets credit for the budget surplus, then when we start talking about NAFTA, it’s all Clinton’s fault.
“How does this accusation against Clinton invalidate the point that under his leadership we had a surplus and started paying down the debt?”
How does N.A.F.T.A. not correlate? Oh boy- final frontier. I won’t even bother addressing that Duh factor!
If you read anything non partisan about our debt problems, you will immediately discover that taxes have to be part of the solution. ALL of the Bush tax cuts need to be repealed, not just for those on the top of the income scale. Of course the repeal needs to be phased in over time to avoid worsening our current economic weakness. (I’ve said before, read “White House Burning” by Johnson and Kwak)
So a guy like Mr.Ahart who I doubt is qualified to shine President Clinton,s shoes is saying he was a bad President? He may have been a bad husband but he left office with a budget surplus and that really should be the only fact we use in this discussion. You blame Obama continually for the 15 trillion debt but I hear you say nothing about the 100 billion per month the Iraq war cost us. I believe 100 billion per month equals 1.2 trillion per year. How many years were we in Iraq Mr.Ahart? Let’s get real here and quit blaming Obama for everything when even an ignorant Republican must admit (when no one is listening) that the Republican leaders hate Obama so much they have vowed to make him a one term President. They just don’t care what it costs the average American. They would rather see Americans starve and any Republican who can’t see that has serious problems.
The first thing all you good ole Republicans can do to help is to follow Branstad’s lead and give back. That means to contact the government SS office and tell them you will be glad to decline your retirement and Medicare benefits. If we could just get all the Republicans off the system they hate so much the system would have plenty of money. You can be the one to start a trend you know.Put your money where your mouth is and show the government you don’t want or need their help. That will show everybody you mean all the **** you say…..
You apparently didn’t bother to read the Gazette (front page) last week when it was announced that the Healthcare act would actually lower the deficit and that was by a Non-Partisan group and not your leader Rush Limburger
I do have a real question for you Dave and I am serious. How is trash on Cedar Rapids streets and highways the fault of liberals? I know that was on a different page but I read your answer and I can’t figure it out. I know you blame liberals for everything but that one has me puzzled..