I want to point out somewhat obvious truths:

[ThomWV]

There seems to be some sort of disassociation with reality when discussions turn to the county's economic future. I'm not talking about the current financial mess - which will be rectified by application of appropriate regulation well enforced - but the underling economic difficulties we now face.

The fix for our financial mess, and this is something that absolutely must be fixed, is regulation but that regulation alone won't have any effect unless the system is got moving again. That is going to require the infusion of massive amounts of money and that money is going to come out of our tax dollars.

So there is reality number one. Tax revenue is going to have to increase and the way that is going to happen is that a goodly number of people are going to have to pay at higher rates and the amounts are so great that the tax base is going to have to increase as well. It is you and I, not some vague borrowings from far off lands that are going to pay to clean up this mess.

Next mess, this "War on Terror". We can't afford it, at least not in its current form. Of course the application of multiple combat Divisions to find what are, realistically, just a band of several hundred bandits hiding out in a stark area is patently absurd. John Kerry correctly noted that our situation demands what would best be described as a "Police Action" and in fact if we are to continue with our hunt for those who attacked us this is the level we can realistically afford. So while we do in fact still need to find and destroy those who attacked us at the same time we must - and I repeat, Must - end the war in Iraq and get ourselves out.

Expanded social programs: Until this nation sets itself right it is unrealistic to expect the expansion of any social programs, be they health related, matters of civil rights, or much of anything else non-defense related or not already guaranteed under existing programs in their current state; who can realistically expect grown in Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security benefits when we know with some certainty that we can't afford what we already have?

Folks, we need to examine our expectations of the next Administration and Congress. We need to be realistic because not to do will only lead to disillusionment and dissatisfaction, and the Democratic Party does not deserve that.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. where are the jobs that will bring about this expanded tax base?

What do you mean non-defense related?

[annabanana]

2. Has there ever been an honest accounting of what has been lost to us

from offshore incorporations (those P.O.# "headquarters" in the Caymen Islands)? I will not shirk from paying my fair share. It is the "price of admission" for being a citizen of this Country. I would like to see some genuine effort by the IRS to recover what has been stolen over the course of the past 30 years. . .

[Neshanic]

3. The winner of the day. We need the books opened. Until then we are just pissing away money

to people who have no intention of letting us know where all the bodies are buried.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. A great use...

For our ever-expanding Special Operations teams.

And if the natives don't like it, well...it sucks to be them.