Is an Obama/Liberal/Leftist sub-forum needed?

[_Kevin Graham]

But raising taxes is a no-brainer for those who want to complain about deficits and the debt. Hell I wish we could all pay zero taxes, but that isn't realistic given the tax funded benefits we enjoy. How exactly do you think we pay down the debt if not through taxation? The point is government revenues have to keep up with spending to avoid deficits and it has to eventually surpass spending if we're ever going to pay down the debt. Generally the rate of increased revenues have kept pace with spending until these massive tax cuts during Bush, and then suddenly we're left with annual deficits that multiply, leaving us with ridiculous debt by the time Obama steps foot in office. We don't have a spending problem today so much as a revenue problem. Tax rates have been ridiculously low for quite some time now, and I don't think it is just a coincidence the debt has exploded the way it has.

And don't think for a second that raising taxes is the only idea Democrats have forwarded these past few years. Obama has in fact taken numerous measures to drive down spending, as well as increasing revenues and boosting economic growth. Disagree with his proposal to cut health care costs if you will, but at least he has ideas and is ready to do the necessary legwork to see them realized. But the problem is the Republicans were against his ideas before they ever heard them, and they cannot afford to see him succeed. I'm dead convinced these Tea Party politicians don't give a damn about the well being of the US economy. I mean just think of how dumb they're all going to look if Obama's policies get passed without the filibustering and watered down compromises, and the economy makes a drastic turnaround as a result. They don't want it to happen and they've relied on the fear mongering media to make sure people are kept in a perpetual state of FUD.

I've yet to meet a single person explain to me, using evidence to back it up, why taxes should remain low when necessary mandatory/military spending has increased. You can't expect to engage in two wars without paying for them. You can't expect to sit by and watch millions of baby boomers retire and then freak out when we see an atypical spike in Social Security spending. We can't complain about medicare costs skyrocketing when it is all tied to the cost of US healthcare, which the ultra-capitalists say let it be. Because their philosophy is to let the Medical industry do whatever it can to maximize profits; government must get out of it! Right now we're seeing a perfect storm of deficit boosting factors coming together, and no one wants to do anything about paying for it. All they want to talk about is spending cuts and then talk as if Obama hasn't already made spending cuts.

Notice how Ronald Reagan was the first Post-WW2 President to teach us how to create massive deficits: http://static2.businessinsider.com/imag ... gnated.jpg

The graph is fairly straightforward. Obama is the first President in the modern era, who has been absolutely denied the power to raise taxes. Reagan raised taxes no less than six times when he found out his tax cuts were creating massive deficits. Bush raised taxes, Clinton raised taxes as well. These were all responsible responses to the need for more revenues. Well now we need them more than ever, and we're stuck with a hard-headed Congress led by idiots like John Boehner who are still parroting outdated and well refuted talking points about supply-side economic theory. Even Reagan and Bush's own economic advisers have admitted that low taxes = higher revenues, is a myth.

[_Brackite]

Obama is the first President in the modern era, who has been absolutely denied the power to raise taxes.

Federal Excise Tax Increase and Related Provisions

Smokers, tanning aficionados, the happily uninsured: More taxes coming at ya!

Extend the Bush tax cuts for lower incomes

Repeal the Bush tax cuts for higher incomes

[_Kevin Graham]

Talking about income tax rates, of course.