We can try to cut our way to prosperity or grow our way to prosperity...here's how we have grown and can grow again...
The USA has, in the past, attained the 'perfect social formula'.
It was a formula of taxation and investment which created a rising tide for all citizen/boats, so to speak. Higher taxes on the wealthy invested in modern infrastructure made more money for the rich while affording better jobs and a stronger social safety net for society as a whole. Everyone was wealthier in every way and the rich weren't forced to live in gated communities to protect themselves from the 'desperate poor'.
During what years was the USA at our economic peak? 1940-80. The tax rates on the wealthy from 1940-80 were double to triple today's rates, no coincidence. And don't say 'the rich didn't really pay them'. There's no way our economy grew so much and we did so much with such low debt without vastly more revenue. From 1940-80 we paid for WWII, Korean War, Vietnam war, Republican Eisenhower built our Entire Interstate Expressway system and we went to the moon-manned 6 times! Kennedy only lowered the upper rate a little, but Reagan decimated it and America has gone into debt and disrepair since then. Sad...When will we learn?
We had money to spend on things like infrastructure, space exploration and going to the moon BECAUSE WE WEREN'T SPENDING ALL OF IT ON SOCIAL PROGRAMS.
ReplyDeleteToday that's where most of the money goes. That's why we have to borrow to run the government. That's why Obama has tripled the national debt in six years. Do some damn research and stop lying.
Why are you so damned scared of the truth?????????
Doubled the national debt ... not tripled, although it wouldn't surprise me if he did by the time he left.
DeleteWe spent WAAAAY more on social programs then. You are uninformed.
DeleteSTOP LYING.
DeleteI'd ask you to prove your point but you can't.
1940
ReplyDeleteTotal Spending $10.1 billion
Pensions $0.1 billion
Health Care $0.1 billion
Education $0.3 billion
Defense $2.2 billion
Welfare $0.6 billion
1950
Total Spending $44.8 billion
Pensions $1.1 billion
Health Care $1.0 billion
Education $2.8 billion
Defense $24.2 billion
Welfare $1.6 billion
1960
Total Spending $97.3 billion
Pensions $12.5 billion
Health Care $1.5 billion
Education $1.6 billion
Defense $53.3 billion
Welfare $3.0 billion
1970
Total Spending $195.6 billion
Pensions $28.4 billion
Health Care $12.1 billion
Education $9.6 billion
Defense $94.7 billion
Welfare $9.1 billion
1980
Total Spending $590.9 billion
Pensions $134.4 billion
Health Care $55.3 billion
Education $33.2 billion
Defense $167.9 billion
Welfare $54.9 billion
2015
Total Spending $3,758.6 billion
Pensions $959.0 billion
Health Care $1,017.7 billion
Education $149.0 billion
Defense $813.9 billion
Welfare $375.9 billion