We've been in a recessions since the 90s, dude. Where have you been?
Most people round here blame the previous governor, Engler, and Granholm for not doing enough to help right things. But yeah, the collapsed auto and manufacturing industries, draining work force, horrid infighting in our term limited state government, and general incompetence over the past 30 years has brought this state down.
Tax hikes were about the only way to deal with the massive budget deficit without cutting road services and state police forces, and ballooning the costs of going to college for people like me.
Right. Because government ONLY spends money on things that are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. I love how roads and police are the go-to services Dems trot out when conservatives want to cut spending, despite the Pork Factory that is Democratic leadership.
Pork barrel spending is what Republicans do when they break from their base and go to the dark side, to be sure, but pork barrel spending is what Dems do by default.
In other words, while there are some Republicans who break from the conservative ideal of reduced spending, Democrats whole political philosophy is based on tax-and-spend.
Yes, I think that's a very daft and outdated notion that ignores the massive deficit spending under Reagan and Bush Jr in the federal government. On the state scale you can see it too. You think the majority of Michigan's state congress is Democratic? Hell, they just got a bare majority in the House in 2006. And what we've seen here is plenty of spending and cuts, but generally not on the people who need it.
You really have no concept of what it's like to be poor, or what it's like in Michigan. Which isn't your fault, since you don't actually live here, and one can't help what they're born into, but when you say things like that, it does disgust me, because it's so blatantly WRONG.
Excuse me, do not tell me I have no idea what it's like to be poor. You have no idea what my background is. I would not consider myself poor now, no. But do not dare tell me what I have ideas about.
Moving on, what the hell does 'knowing what it's like to be poor' have anything to do with a political statement of Dems being spendier than Republicans? Yes, certain Republicans (including Bush) are just as spendy as Dems, even more in certain instances. The difference is that liberal/Democrat ideology is based on tax-and-spend while conservative/Republican ideology is based on reduction of spending. When Republicans increase spending it's because they are selling out and their conservative base gets pissed. When Dems spend it's because they are drinking the Kool-aid and their base praises them.
I presume what I presume because what I know of you does not speak of any degree of being poor. You went to a fucking private school, man. No one who has to live paycheck to paycheck can afford that kind of shit.
Furthermore, I think your view on spendiness is based on incredibly outdated models based on FDR era politics. Those went out the window at some point in the 70s, when the Republican base shifted from rich fiscal conservatives to the social conservatives(who are much more numerous). Those guys don't give a shit. And even the fiscal conservatives are willing to do things that help their own districts and business interests. Thinking that's not how it works is just head in the sand thinking.
When there's Democratic spending, it's generally on shit that their base agrees with, just like the Republicans. Difference is they don't lie to themselves and say it isn't happening.
I say again: do not presume you know my financial background. You are only making an ass of yourself. I do not need to explain myself to you or anyone else.
Fine, let's forget political parties for a moment. Liberal ideology is tax and spend. Conservative ideology is reduced spending. Better?
No, not better. You're still splitting these things up in a way you can't split these things up.
A better one would be more along the lines of liberals think we need to regulate capitalism, and conservatives think we shouldn't, or at least not as much.
"Regulate capitalism"? Please. Liberal ideology is much more government-oriented and for that you need more spending. The heart of conservatism, as Reagan said, is Libertarianism: smaller government, power to the people and private sector which is inherently less spending. I'll agree that today's Republicans and social conservatives fail to adhere to this ideology quite often, but the key word there is fail. Spendy Republicans are betraying their base ideology, spendy Democrats are fulfilling it.
Fine -- name a fiscal conservative in Congress and I guarantee I can find some ridiculous project they funded. I know you enjoy the black-and-white of it all, but honestly, it's not that simple. All the federal politicians do it -- it is what gets them re-elected or what they think gets them re-elected anyway.
Most people round here blame the previous governor, Engler, and Granholm for not doing enough to help right things. But yeah, the collapsed auto and manufacturing industries, draining work force, horrid infighting in our term limited state government, and general incompetence over the past 30 years has brought this state down.
Tax hikes were about the only way to deal with the massive budget deficit without cutting road services and state police forces, and ballooning the costs of going to college for people like me.
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In other words, while there are some Republicans who break from the conservative ideal of reduced spending, Democrats whole political philosophy is based on tax-and-spend.
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Really?
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You really have no concept of what it's like to be poor, or what it's like in Michigan. Which isn't your fault, since you don't actually live here, and one can't help what they're born into, but when you say things like that, it does disgust me, because it's so blatantly WRONG.
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Moving on, what the hell does 'knowing what it's like to be poor' have anything to do with a political statement of Dems being spendier than Republicans? Yes, certain Republicans (including Bush) are just as spendy as Dems, even more in certain instances. The difference is that liberal/Democrat ideology is based on tax-and-spend while conservative/Republican ideology is based on reduction of spending. When Republicans increase spending it's because they are selling out and their conservative base gets pissed. When Dems spend it's because they are drinking the Kool-aid and their base praises them.
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Furthermore, I think your view on spendiness is based on incredibly outdated models based on FDR era politics. Those went out the window at some point in the 70s, when the Republican base shifted from rich fiscal conservatives to the social conservatives(who are much more numerous). Those guys don't give a shit. And even the fiscal conservatives are willing to do things that help their own districts and business interests. Thinking that's not how it works is just head in the sand thinking.
When there's Democratic spending, it's generally on shit that their base agrees with, just like the Republicans. Difference is they don't lie to themselves and say it isn't happening.
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Fine, let's forget political parties for a moment. Liberal ideology is tax and spend. Conservative ideology is reduced spending. Better?
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A better one would be more along the lines of liberals think we need to regulate capitalism, and conservatives think we shouldn't, or at least not as much.
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Like I said, pork barrel spending is what happens when Republicans go bad, as opposed to what happens when Democrats follow their ideology.
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