We are seeing a ton of Sturm and Drang these days over the budget, spending and deficits - but all of this has one fairly simple solution. Let's all say it together.
Restore. The. Clinton. Tax. Rates.
We are constantly hearing the opposite of course, even though - as I've previously shown - the Wealthy are NOT "Job Creators", entrepreneurs and consumers makes jobs - the facts are simple.
And they are proven by these two charts which showed what happened to revenues and the deficit when President Clinton raised the top marginal tax rate to a staggering 36% in 1993 - and also what occurred when President Bush cut those rates in 2001-2003.
In 1993 Clinton passed his first budget without a single Republican Vote, in fact in order to pass the Senate Vice President Al Gore had to pass the deciding vote. You can see that immediately after that starting in 1994 and on the revenues did not decrease because the economy was slowed. Instead the economy surged forward and continued to do so until 2001 when President Bush passed his first round of tax cuts - and with Vice President Dick Cheney casting the deciding vote - turned what was a Surplus into a Deficit as shown below.
Republicans are constantly saying we have a "Spending problem, not a Revenue Problem' " - but they are wrong. It's clear to see that the revenue drops in 2001, 2003, 2008 and 2009 led directly to the deficit increases of the same years. These charts fit together like a perfect puzzle. (Also note how much the deficit has already decreased in the last two years, dropping from over $1.6 Trillion to less than 1/2 that in 2012).
That already existing downward trend is one that the CBO has shown will be reversed by Extended the Bush Tax Kick Backs to the Rich.
That is NOT the right direction for America.
The Clinton Tax Rates produced 22 Million Jobs and a Budget Surplus.
Newt Gingrich had nothing to do with it, even with his temper tantrums and two government shutdowns. He Failed. People forget that a large part of Clinton's opposition to Gingrich plan was both his egregious tax cuts for the wealthy as well as his deep cuts in Medicare and Medicaid.
That budget, which then was managed in the House by John Kasich, actually didn't create a balance because it first Increased a deficit that was already going down. Clinton held his ground and those cuts weren't implemented until Bush became President. Now we see Kasich's Mini-me Paul Ryan attempting to repeat his Budget Faux Pau, making the Bush Tax Kick-Back permanent, raising taxes on the sick, poor and old while again - creating Deep Cuts in Medicare and Medicaid.
Here's what the CBO says about letting the Bush Tax Kick-Backs Expire.
The extended-baseline scenario was constructed on the assumption that, by and large,
current law would continue without change—including the assumption that tax cuts
originally enacted in 2001 and 2003 would expire as scheduled. Under those assumptions, revenues were projected to climb from 15 percent of GDP in 2010 to 21 percent in 2022 and 22 percent in 2030
See that, Revenues would RISE if we let the Bush Cuts expire. Period.
Now the trick of Ryan's plan is that his revenues will rise also, but he doesn't accomplish that simply by maintaining the Bush cuts, he does it by adding taxes for everyone else as was outlined by the CBO when Ryan originally published the first version of his budget.
The Roadmap proposes a simple two-tier low-rate personal income tax system: 10% on the first $100,000 of income for couples ($50,000 for singles) and 25% above that. It abolishes the Alternative Minimum Tax, and nearly all loopholes and credits, except for generous personal and family deductions.
Abolishes nearly all Loopholes and Credits. No more home-owner credit. No more credit card interest credit. That's a Tax Hike for most Americans while the Wealthiest get a 10% cut, and as most of us now know well - most large business like GE, Mobil/Exxon, Citigroup and NEWS CORP already don't pay ANY TAXES anyway.
According the the Medicare Trustees - the Affordable Care Act has extended the Medicare Trust Funds solvency for an additional 12 years.
The outlook for Medicare has improved substantially because of program changes made in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (the "Affordable Care Act" or ACA). Despite lower near-term revenues resulting from the economic recession, the Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund is now expected to remain solvent until 2029, 12 years longer than was projected last year...
This is done by improving efficiency and reduce payments to providers without cutting the quality of services for Seniors or increasing their payments.
However, the Ryan Budget Repeals Health Reform Lock, Stock and Barrel. It takes out the Mandate, it takes out the Tax Credits for Small Business, it takes out the Exchanges, it's removes the Ban on Pre-existing Conditions Rules, and in the end it cuts Federal spending on Health Care by shifting that costs to the states and increasing out of pocket costs for Seniors in Medicare.
Under the proposal, most elderly people would pay more for their health care than they would pay under the current Medicare system. For a typical 65-year-old with average health spending enrolled in a plan with benefits similar to those currently
provided by Medicare, CBO estimated the beneficiary’s spending on premiums and
out-of-pocket expenditures as a share of a benchmark: what total health care spending
would be if a private insurer covered the beneficiary
WE don't need the drastic and damaging cuts that the Republicans are pushing for. All we need to do is Restore the Clinton Tax Rates and in order to also extend the Social Security Trust Fund - we need to raise the cap but that's all.
Cutting Spending in itself isn't a bad thing, depending on what Spending you Cut. A truly progressive spending plan could cut $3.2 Trillion. - but we absolutely need to recover the Tax Revenues that Republicans are hell bent on giving away as kick-backs to their donor base. THAT. HAS. TO. END.
As I type the President has begun his speech, I'll update with comments when he's done.
Vyan
Updated by Vyan at Wed Apr 13, 2011 at 11:20 AM PDT
President Obama:
The (Ryan Budget) is a pessimistic vision of America that's ask 33 of our Seniors to pay $16.000 each to give people like me a $200,000 tax cuts. That will not happen while I am President.
Our approach lowers Health Care Spending, by reducing the cost of Health Care itself. I will presume these Health Care program as a promise we make to our Seniors, I will not allow these to become a voucher program with shrinking benefits.
We must strengthen Social Security, without slashing benefits or subjecting retirees to the whims of the stock market.
We can not AFFORD $1 Trillion in tax cuts for Millionaires and Billionaires - andI Refuse to Renew them Again!!
Hell, yeah. Right on Track Prez! Let the battle begin.
Updated by Vyan at Wed Apr 13, 2011 at 11:27 AM PDT
President Obama
We can not ask 33 Seniors to pay $1,600 each in order to give people like me a $200,000 tax cut. That won't happen while I'm President. I Refuse to extend the (Bush Cuts) again
Updated by Vyan at Wed Apr 13, 2011 at 11:38 AM PDT
Ok, he said $6,000 per year in additional out of pocket costs for Medicare.