Obama is doing ......

Is there a better alternative being presented by the non-"socialists"?

OK, help me understand. the republicans were bad because they spent too much money, and that was bad...so, we are going to fix things by having democrats spend MORE money on different things, right?

Plenty of them! One is for the Govt. to just get the hell out of the way and allow the PEOPLE to keep most of their money instead of TAKING IT ALL AWAY IN TAXES!!!!!
STOP giving out "entitlements" to those who have NEVER PAID TAXES. those who REFUSE to get a job, and "Illegal Aliens"!
Why do all Govt. "employees" NEVER take a pay cut? They are supposed to be public SERVANTS, not "GODS" that "Lord" over you! They want you to be at their MERCY, and they have effectively DONE that! I see a whole bunch of sissies shaking in their shoes bowing down to the Socialists like they are the ones that OWN YOU and EVERYTHING that you have. Stand up and take care of yourselves!! Quit feeling sorry for yourselves and blaming your own woes on somebody else. You don't make Peter pay for Paul's mistakes! Paul pays!
Let the failing banks FAIL! They did it to themselves and the greed of those who "invested" in order to make "easy money" now want TAXPAYER money handed to them??? Those TRILLIONS of dollars could be SAVED, NOT SPENT, or "Invested" (given" to those very FAT CATS that brought all this on). Al the while BHO and his band of multi-millionaire Socialists KEEP GETTING RICHER. You will NEVER see Pelosi, Reid, Kerry, Kennedy, Edwards, etc even THINK of taking a PAY CUT! They are being driven around in Limos and SUVs. Flying around in private or corporate jets at TAXPAYER EXPENSE. They refuse to take a commercial airline or, heaven forbid, a CAB! They are living it up in a life of luxury, having their meals CATERED to them, while looking down their noses at US and DEMANDING that we "tighten our belts"! Pelosi said to the People "you just have to tak a smaller piece of the pie" while she, and the Socialists takes a BIGGER piece! Wake UP!
Let those failing carmakers FAIL! They brought it all on themselves! They allowed the Unions to dictate them into oblivion by extorting extremely HIGH WAGES and outlandish "benefits". Let the UNIONS pay!
Yeah, there are plenty of ways to help.
The Govt. should mandate a pay cut for ALL Govt. employees starting with BHO, Congress, and the top agencies.
Mandate a pay cut for school administrations.
Mandate pay cuts for ALL of those who make their living on TAXPAYER MONEY.
The President gets a half a million every year on TOP of ALL the "benefits". Yeah, that's right, a multi-MILLIONAIRE gets to suck down 2 million just in "pay" for each term, plus millions more in "benefits". Congress sucks down MILLIONS in "pay" and "benefits". Yeah, that's right, MILLIONAIRES taking Billions (cumulatively) out of OUR pockets.
Start from the top down and start cutting! But no! They will cut everyone else's pay by TAXING, and cutting benefits to those who PAID TAXES IN.
Israel CUT taxes and REDUCED their Govt. and it brought them out of their recession. GET A CLUE! Socialism and BIG Government DOES NOT WORK. Let FREEDOM Ring!

Paul McCarty said:

Is there a better alternative being presented by the non-"socialists"?

hehe I guess that's the blind sheep mentality of it all. Or just a huge dose of Hypocrisy. "It's OK if *I* do it, but not YOU"
But the socialists spending dwarfs that of the GOP by TRILLIONS. Rome fell from within, now it's our turn..

steve hoff said:

OK, help me understand. the republicans were bad because they spent too much money, and that was bad...so, we are going to fix things by having democrats spend MORE money on different things, right?

I am a government worker and have had pay cuts for the last 8 years. It is a constant fight to keep the private contractors from taking my job, while every year we are given less to do our job with. You would faint if you REALLY knew the state our government is in. Somehow, "big government" is the problem. Folks, do you know what gets cut when they talk about cutting big government? They cut people like Fireman and other public servants. I am a firefighter and every time someone gets elected spouting tax freeloader propaganda about "big government" I cringe, knowing my job will probably be on line. This is the ugly truth about this stuff. The people who don't get cut are the one's who spout the garbage. We are operating off of 20 year old equipment and putting our lives on the line to save unappreciative people who want to cut "socialism" such as Fire and Police. They just don't want to do their civic duty and support what needs to be supported. I guess it is better to ride the system by getting public services for free without supporting them. Guess what was part of this horrendus "stimulus" bill - hiring more firefighters (a pork project to some - just wait till their house or business burns).

By the way, if I am not mistaken, the health program issues you guys are griping about were put in place by good old GWB. The Obama people could not have done it because government doesn't move that quickly. By the way, the high cost of business comes from the fact that everything in this country has a price. Things like health care, which is provided as a citizen's right in most other countries, is not provided here. The cost is transferred down to the employee, resulting in higher premiums and demands for higher wages, thus a higher cost of doing business. You can't freeload off the public and expect to not pay in the end. Our current problem is just all of it catching up at once. Pay now or pay later, no one gets a free ride. You guys are griping about a problem created by your suggested solution for the problem. Can't get something for free. If the companies won't or can't pay, and the citizens are not willing to pay for government to do so, then we end up with our current economic woes. No one wins, and no "side" is correct.

Funny how things can be generalized that really can't be generalized.

Oh cry me a freaking river! You think you are so important that a "private" contractor is somehow evil??? That the Taxpayers should foot the bill for everything??? MOVE! Go live in the Socialist country of your choice! This is The U.S.A.! A FREE country! Don't envision yourself as being so important, so "above" everyone else, that we, the people, MUST pay for you?? Give me a break! Firefighters are NOT part of the Government! ALL the firefighters around here are VOLUNTEERS! That's right, they VOLUNTEER to put themselves in harms way! They VOLUNTEER to run into burning buildings! Yet you have the audacity to speak about "civic duty", so where in the hell is YOURS??? You think of yourself as being the "GOD" that everyone has to give to?? It sure as Hell isn't *my* "civic duty" to pay for *your* UNION buddies, *your* "job", in *your* city! I DON'T LIVE THERE! Your "job" is *your* problem in *your* community! Taking *my* money to pay for *you* robs my local VOLUNTEER firefighters of money *I* will no longer have to donate! But what the hell do you care? It's not *your* problem, now is it?? Get off the drugs!
It's amazing that you completely circumvented the talk of the "starting at the top" to cut, and went directly to the "woe is me" self pity-party. Don't you see what you are doing? You just bow down and accept that the Government is your LORD and you should be the one getting a cut in pay. Hell, I bet your local "Majesties" make 6 figure incomes! Why don't THEY do their "civic duty" and take their own pay cuts instead of *yours*???

What makes *you* so much more important than *me*? Why should you want to reach into the pockets of MY neighbors to feed *you* when we have out own mouths to feed? We have our own fire department to run and maintain! Why is *yours* so much more deserving than ours? What are we supposed to then when you take our money? Dammit man! You're so freaking greedy and self righteous that you would rather see others go broke, or their houses burn down, so *you* can have a job! People that have absolutely nothing to do with you! What the hell did you ever do for me that I should willingly give *you* money? How about this for "civic duty", why don't you write out a check to the Pine Creek Valley Volunteer Fire Company?? Do it every week just like a TAX that you want *ME* to do! Oh, I get it, it's not *your* concern, is it? But somehow your job is *my* concern???
Get a REAL freaking job. One that could be gone at any time. One that isn't sucking down TAXPAYER money! One that has to sustain itself by actually EARNING money!
I do appreciate the Fire and Police. Ours are our neighbors, but what you have in your area is YOUR problem, not mine. It must really suck to be you since it ain't so sweet being me either.
If you have a problem with YOUR job, take it up with those that hired you. For you to demand that I pay TAXES for YOU, where I can't vote, is TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION! Remember the Boston Tea Party? It's Unconstitutional for you to tax me here, in a completely different state because I CAN'T VOTE for those wanting to IMPOSE a TAX on ME. I don't VOTE for YOUR local Government! I get absolutely NO BENEFIT from YOU, or anyone else in your area.

People like you are what make my job hard. I am also a volunteer for my town. Judging from the answers I see here, you would not cut it doing what I do for pay and for free. It has been years since I have been in a union, since I am a supervisor.

Let me tell you a story about the state of our "volunteer" fire service. Volunteers, these days are nearly impossible to come by. We have a 4 station department, and only 8 regular people. No-one else ever lasts more than about 6 months or so, because it takes so much out of you. We have towns with adequate staffing sitting right next to communities with almost zero staffing and the same life risk levels. Our National Fire Academy has been scaled back so far many of the courses it used to offer cannot be offered due to lack of funding or personnel. The number of lives lost and the property damage occurring due to fires in this country is a disgrace. No other "civilized" country has such uneven levels of fire protection for it's citizens and infra-structure. Our nation's firefighters are undermanned, underfunded, unappreciated, paid VERY BADLY if at all - and all because there are lots of SORRY people who believe not spending an extra Nickel in taxes is more important than saving the neighbor's baby when their house burns down. This is actually a very good analogy for the current mess our country is in. It is the same basic reason. It's all about ME ME ME! To heck with everyone else. I am really glad the younger generations see things differently, hence the recent election results.

You are very funny. This is a very entertaining post.

Where the hell do you come off. Great, you are a "part-time volunteer". But you NEVER ANSWERED the question of Why should *I* be taxed for *your* fire company??? We have OUR OWN to SUPPORT! I just guess you think I'm supposed to be supporting YOURS *AND* MINE at the SAME TIME??? That's what makes me SICK that the Govt. worker always puts THEMSELVES ahead of the PEOPLE. Like you are to be elevated ABOVE the citizens. Then you say "People like me"???? Like me that "make it hard for YOU"???? And you dare to JUDGE ME? Get this through your selfish head. WE, our FIREHOUSE, is UNDERFUNDED, UNDER STAFFED, AND HAS OUTDATED EQUIPMENT and all you can think about is TAKING MY MONEY AND PAYING FOR YOUR JOB! YOU don't seem to CARE about OUR burning buildings, OUR "Neighbor's babies", or OUR OWN LACK OF FUNDING! And WHO are the "lucky" ones to get this TAX MONEY?? There is NOT ENOUGH TO GO AROUND no matter HOW MUCH YOU TAX, there is NOT ENOUGH FOR EVERYBODY. It's the IDIOTS like you that make it hard for US, the RURAL dwellers because almost ALL the freaking money goes to the CITIES. CITIOTS, as we call them, DON'T CARE about anything but THE CITY. About 50% of Americans live in the RURAL, but over 90% of TAXES go to the CITIES. WHY??? And if you think it is so "entertaining" to see people suffer because YOU WANT YOUR JOB, then you are one SICK PUPPY! Aren't you supposed to be wanting to HELP people??? Then why TAKE BY FORCE from those who NEED to KEEP IT for their OWN FIRE Protection, for their OWN neighbors??? We take care of our own. Obviously you want me to take care of you as well? Get lost leech..

Paul McCarty said:

People like you are what make my job hard. I am also a volunteer for my town. Judging from the answers I see here, you would not cut it doing what I do for pay and for free. It has been years since I have been in a union, since I am a supervisor.

Let me tell you a story about the state of our "volunteer" fire service. Volunteers, these days are nearly impossible to come by. We have a 4 station department, and only 8 regular people. No-one else ever lasts more than about 6 months or so, because it takes so much out of you. We have towns with adequate staffing sitting right next to communities with almost zero staffing and the same life risk levels. Our National Fire Academy has been scaled back so far many of the courses it used to offer cannot be offered due to lack of funding or personnel. The number of lives lost and the property damage occurring due to fires in this country is a disgrace. No other "civilized" country has such uneven levels of fire protection for it's citizens and infra-structure. Our nation's firefighters are undermanned, underfunded, unappreciated, paid VERY BADLY if at all - and all because there are lots of SORRY people who believe not spending an extra Nickel in taxes is more important than saving the neighbor's baby when their house burns down. This is actually a very good analogy for the current mess our country is in. It is the same basic reason. It's all about ME ME ME! To heck with everyone else. I am really glad the younger generations see things differently, hence the recent election results.

You are very funny. This is a very entertaining post.

Yeah, you got that right. *I* would NEVER extort someone and say "I refuse to save you from that burning building since you won't PAY ME". I VOLUNTEER! People DONATE because they WANT to donate, not because they are FORCED to PAY TAXES. YOU want to FORCE me to PAY YOU when YOU aren't part of MY community! Yeah, we already pay TAXES for our firehouse, AND we also DONATE because the taxes aren't enough! So go ahead, TAKE my money and sleep well at night knowing that you TOOK it AWAY from another VOLUNTEER firehouse and put people at risk.

Paul McCarty said:

People like you are what make my job hard. Judging from the answers I see here, you would not cut it doing what I do for pay and for free.

And you have the gall to think it's any BETTER HERE??? We're struggling and all you want is for YOU to have a job. How pathetic..

Paul McCarty said:

Let me tell you a story about the state of our "volunteer" fire service. Volunteers, these days are nearly impossible to come by. We have a 4 station department, and only 8 regular people. No-one else ever lasts more than about 6 months or so, because it takes so much out of you. We have towns with adequate staffing sitting right next to communities with almost zero staffing and the same life risk levels. Our National Fire Academy has been scaled back so far many of the courses it used to offer cannot be offered due to lack of funding or personnel.

My job is not in question. I will just go to work for the UN troops staying nearby when they come out of hiding. No seriously, I should have explained it a bit better that my paid gig is already supported by your taxes. For lack of a local agency with jurisdiction, we are supported by the Feds. But what affects us, affects all as a whole.

I will not get into who I work for because I have a suspicion it will just make you even more irate. I will say that we support a largely rural/wilderness area, and provide a service which no one else can provide. Lot's of companies have tried to take over the contract, but so far, we have always kept our organization intact.

If you are speaking for a brother firehouse I would hope you at least are an active member. I get the impression that you are not. You are going to really hate my next suggestion. We should have a nationalized Fire Service, so that standards of coverage are the same for all of the US and emergency response are equally provided.

But many people (most likely you too) will not want to support it, they will say it is "Socialist". I'll bet most cities and states would probably go for it because it gets the monkey off their back.

I still think you are a very funny, funny man. However, we are getting off topic. I could argue this silliness all day with nothing ever having been accomplished other than wasting both our time and probably giving you a heart attack in the process.

At least we do agree on one thing. We seem to both like punishing ourselves by standing around in the dark, looking at dim smudges in the far off distance.