We Deserve Better Than "So Be It"

I'm not surprised at all by the proposed cuts. Some people must want these measures or these officials wouldn't have been elected.

Yes, we deserve better.

It isn't going to end with so be it. These cuts being made by the Governors in an attempt to Balance their Budgets will lead to one thing and one thing only, property tax hikes within the States. It will happen, we will continue to give large companies a pass and we will slowly see increases in taxes in every state. There is no way they can make the cuts they propose and return spending to 2008 levels. It's only just beginning. The programs they insist can be cut, are not being cut properly. For instance, cutting funding for LiHeap, WIC, Housing for the Elderly could actually be done properly in several ways. First, property owners and property managers should have their tax cuts revoke. Tax credits for owning a Section 8 housing unit/units should go away. Owners receive tax breaks for these properties, however, they have not responsibility to keep them energy efficient, update window, doors, heating and a/c systems. They have no responsibilities to make sure that the appliances are energy star rated and that their hotwater systems are efficient. People who rent these units rely on Energy Assistance programs because they live in units that cost a fortune to heat and cool. They turn to these programs because of their low incomes. Again, no responsibility on the part of the owner, just cuts for those who depend on these programs to survive. Why are we continuing to cut taxes to those who create the need for these programs in the first place. Why are utilities given tax breaks for their participation in these programs, when these programs are funded to make up the difference on these utilities. Utilities across the country are skyrocketing, they are making huge profits and yet no real investment in infrastructure from them, the investment comes from the Federal Government. Why? and then to add insult to injury, a tax break on top. So, we collect less revenue in reduced taxes, make up the difference for rent and utilities with Federal Money and then try to cut back on the program that helps those who need it. No restraints put on what type of building units qualify for these programs, just breaks across the board. Talk about duplication.

WIC serves the poorest of families to keep their infants and children healthy and fed. Cutting this program is penny wise, pound foolish. This will only have more and more people applying full time for State and Federal programs like SNAP, Families First, etc. It will also have emergency room filled with sick infants and children due to lack of regularly available care and nutrition. Far more costly this way. And yet they will have us worry about the future of our children because of our deficit.

But in there minds, it's well . . . so be it.

And I do agree with you Jane to an extent, there are some that want these cuts, put I think the back lash last November was to dump the Dems over the lack of jobs and it will happen to the Republicans in 2012 if they don't start working on creating jobs.

Their responsibility to the home states is to meet with innovators, start up and companies and get them to move into their districts and create sustainable jobs. We really don't need anymore stripmalls and retail stores and retail employees. We need real jobs with the potential to employ many people within the states, the kind of jobs that pay enough for people to actually live without need Fed/State Aid. Congressmen, Senators, Governors and Representatives have the connections and the ability to negotiate with companies to get them into their areas and to get them interested in the workforce available to them. I am not seeing any of this from any of them. A 6 hour Job Fair and a hotel or a Mall where retailers and mobile phone companies are standing at tables collecting resumes and advising people to apply on line is not job creation. Most jobs coming from those types of "fairs" wouldn't feed, house, insure or clothe one individual much less a family. This is what they tout as improved hiring.

Sorry for the soapbox. Just disgusted at comments like "so be it". Mr. Boehner needs to spend more time on the road in Ohio and really see what is happening. He grew up there, he knows what it could be.

MaryKay I agree with your thoughts. I do understand the backlash in November and appreciate the fact people are frustrated with the current situation. We are now starting to see the effects of how people voted. It's not going to be "pretty".

You are right. We do need jobs that will support a family. Many of the new jobs won't even support a pet. There is so much talk about "American workers have priced themselves out of the labor market". Why aren't more people saying "American CEOs have priced themselves out of the labor market"? I'm sure we can find loads of qualified people overseas to do the same job for a thousandth of what these people are making. They would probably not even require a "golden parachute".

Here in Wisconsin the governor wants to state aid to the schools while limiting how property taxes are handled at the local level.

Gov. Walker unveils budget plan at Wisconsin State Capitol

"Additionally, cities would get nearly $60 million less in aid, an 8.8 percent cut. Counties would lose more than $36 million, a 24 percent reduction. They would not be allowed to increase property taxes except to account for new construction. "

http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-03012011-walkers-budget-intentions-story,0,6253932.story

I don't think most people even know what they are voting for. between rage at the power in charge and fear mongering about abortion, mosques in NYC, and gay marriage the GOP seems to be able to drum up the votes it needs. If the working class of this country would forget about all these useless straw man issues, like abortion, and concentrate on issues that really effect them, like workers right and employment, the GOP would never win a seat anywhere.

lendmeflight2 wrote:I don't think most people even know what they are voting for. between rage at the power in charge and fear mongering about abortion, mosques in NYC, and gay marriage the GOP seems to be able to drum up the votes it needs. If the working class of this country would forget about all these useless straw man issues, like abortion, and concentrate on issues that really effect them, like workers right and employment, the GOP would never win a seat anywhere.

You are correct, but how can you force anyone to think critically when there are plenty of sound bytes to cover every issue?

Jane and lendme, sadly, too many voters are sidelined with things that elected officials like to scare them with and I don't understand the mindset of people who will elect officials based on these scare tactics. I agree this is a country where we can all have our opinions. But our individual opinions are now the law. We can disagree with the law, it is our right. However, to vote people into office who have an agenda that does not include growing cities, municipalities, towns and states, updating infrastructure, bringing companies in that will grow the workforce, continuously updating ourselves to keep competitive, but rather run on abolishing abortion and welfare makes me wonder about the voters themselves. A Senator from any state can be against abortion, however, without backing and you can bet a hearing from the Supreme Court, he cannot do away with it. If that is all you want from your elected officials, go ahead and vote that way. But know upfront that doing this will not create jobs, bring in companies that are looking to grow economies and expand workforces or bring us to a more current market to produces and sell things we need today.

Just as we all need to get our benefits and need people elected to help us with that, we need to look at the overall picture, we can't just vote on benefits for us, we need good paying jobs for all and elected officials who will protect the employed and unemployed.

All this fiscal responsibility is playing to a group of people who feel that they pay too much and receive too little, they want smaller government, but a government who has their fingers far too into the personal lives of anyone who doesn't share their views.

The election in November brought out the Speaker's famous "the American People have spoken and they want Jobs". Well we now have companies and the top 2% who have maintained their tax cuts and we are seeing no real extensive job creation. Before we vote the next time, we need to really listen to the people who want tax cuts permanently extended and ask the questions like, what guarantees have you received that these companies are actively using this money to create jobs. Where are the plans. As with tarp money and any Federal grants or loans, you have to submit proposals stating exactly where these funds will be used. How do you reduce revenue levels to all time lows and not get a guarantee on these funds being used to create jobs. We keep hearing about job killing legislation, yet all we are getting right now is job killing legislation.

Now I do agree, we all share a responsibility to live right. We can't spend more than we make, neither can the Governments, Local, State or Federal. But you cannot cut unevenly or inhumanely. Education is not an area of ...so be it, it is an area that needs to be maintained. Can it be better, absolutely, but contributing less will not make it so. Making people live poorer than they do will not create jobs or stimulate a fragile economy, it will cost us more in the long run. Are there programs we can live without, absolutely, will it hurt to lose them, absolutely. Here is where you have to roll up your sleeves and give a little. Yes, it may cost some a re-election, but that is not why they were elected to office. The were elected to office to serve, not run for re-election. It has been said many times we have duplicate spending and a lot of waste. Start there. Then move on to the next step.

Here is the biggest, most unpopular point: The Healthcare Insurers in the last 25 years have become "big business". They are no longer a service sector industry. They are now there for their Boards and for their Profits. Here is the rub. They are making money hand over fist, while continuing to tell us things like how expensive it is to insure older workers, pre-existing conditions, ability to fund research and so on. Yet as our rates continually go up, co-pays get larger and coverages get smaller, they are still making record profits and there is silence in Washington and silence among all of us. There is no one in Washington who will run on the premise of taking on the Healthcare Industry and exposing it for what it is. Yet this very industry is what causes programs like Medicare and Medicaid to remain very expensive. We think nothing of giving enormous tax incentives to the Oil industry as a whole and for that we get what?? They get enormous profits and we get $4/gal gas which even the working can't really afford. But these same officials will tell you that we don't need to "green" up. We do, but not just for environmental reasons, we need to have alternative ways to heat, cool and run our homes and businesses and to fuel our vehicles. There is plenty of room in this country for all of it. We have a really outdated power grid, which is sorely in need of updates and renewal, but those tax breaks are not used for that, they just continue to make enormous profits. How much are all of you paying a month to heat your homes? Here on the east coast, it's outrageous. There is plenty of room for alternatives, but we don't fund them and we don't support them because they are not large campaign funders. And yet we still elect these people who don't even try to hide their support for their largest funders, we just hear that they don't support abortion.

They want to stop funding mortgage solutions now. Let the foreclosures begin again. Now aside from the fact, that so many foreclosures are on the books now, these homes are being vandalized and sitting empty for months on end. It takes minimum 90 days if you are lucky to buy a foreclosure and close on it. Why are these banks sitting on these homes? When they are heavy on inventory and unpaid loans are they looking for an additional bailout. Existing home prices will never increase while this continues. If you are underwater on your mortgage, yet still fortunate enough to be able to make your payments, but you live in an area heavy with bank owned or foreclosed on homes, you are sadly underwater until that inventory is depleted. But yet, they will try to enact legislation to stop the foreclosure help. So next we will have the 1st Community Bank and Real Estate Office. Not good.

Bottom line, without strong job creation, manufacturing will not grow, Made in the USA will not happen, homes will continue to be foreclosed on, people will go uninsured because without job creation, there will be no demand for any of the above. Because "We the People" won't be able to afford the gas, the car, the home or the Doctor. We don't deserve ...so be it, we deserve, let's work together and fix it. It's a serious problem that requires both sides to roll up their sleeves and make sensible choices for each other and for the people who elected them not just their largest contributors. I think if our elected officials did what they were supposed to, went home to their districts and held meeting, forums and town halls and talked to people, together we might come up with solutions that will be fair for all. It's a discredit to us that they don't think we are smart enough to work with them toward a goal of America is #1.

Thanks jane and lendme for the stimulating posts. I promise, I'll get off the soapbox for today.