tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36959219.post116318520130020094..comments2023-05-10T08:55:47.701-07:00Comments on Richard Carrier Blogs: Winning AmericaRichard Carrierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17577206926510030146noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36959219.post-54279401869066631942007-01-03T11:39:00.000-08:002007-01-03T11:39:00.000-08:00C. Clarl: Please cite for me your sources confirmi...<B>C. Clarl:</B> Please cite for me your sources confirming that tax revenues from the rich are higher. Not that I doubt it--I wouldn't be surprised to find that Bush policies have made more rich people, and more poor people--but I want to know just how an "increase in revenue from the rich" is being measured.<br /><br />Otherwise, I agree: a mono-party government tends historically to be bad Richard Carrierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17577206926510030146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36959219.post-10188302397841362702006-12-27T16:42:00.000-08:002006-12-27T16:42:00.000-08:00We are just days away from the Democrat Takeover, ...We are just days away from the Democrat Takeover, and I am highly doubtful they will take any of your sound fiscal advice. I have two small bones to pick, though:<br /><br /> 1) The budget-balancing act during the Clinton years was not done by Democrats. The Congress was thoroughly GOP, and maybe that combination--a Dem prez and Rep Congress--is why it worked. I say that because the unchecked Cameronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01726709727913708309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36959219.post-11802262064849412692006-11-29T15:03:00.000-08:002006-11-29T15:03:00.000-08:00Bill Snedden, thanks for the spellcheck! Unlike so...Bill Snedden, thanks for the spellcheck! Unlike some people, I actually appreciate it. I made the correction.<br /><br />Victor, I heard they dumped the Murtha proposal, which is now a good sign. However, just the fact that Pelosi wanted him is still, as you say, not a good sign. Of course, in principle, they are <I>all</I> guilty of porking, so it wouldn't be <I>impossible</I> for even the likesRichard Carrierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17577206926510030146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36959219.post-58898769939037162062006-11-15T14:18:00.000-08:002006-11-15T14:18:00.000-08:00The likely promotion of John Murtha to the #2 posi...The likely promotion of John Murtha to the #2 position in the House Democratic party is not a good sign for what you are hoping for.Victor Repperthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10962948073162156902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36959219.post-87917784477847225012006-11-15T12:41:00.000-08:002006-11-15T12:41:00.000-08:00Richard, you're right, the Democrats will never do...Richard, you're right, the Democrats will never do this, and the Republicans won't either. I realized this back in 1988 when I discovered the <a href="http://lp.org">Libertarian Party</a> and stopped wasting my votes on the Demopublicans/Republicrats.<br /><br />Let's look back at 2004: Both Bush and Kerry supported the Iraq War, "faith-based" funding (pork?), and opposed gay marriage. Both freethoughtguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07533552985052601292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36959219.post-1163520367961306212006-11-14T08:06:00.000-08:002006-11-14T08:06:00.000-08:00Nitpick: the word is "renege", not "renig" and the...Nitpick: the word is "renege", not "renig" and the inflected form is "reneging" (4th paragraph from the bottom).<BR/><BR/>Otherwise, good thoughts. However, I remain pessimistic. The term "culture of pork" is often used and for good reason: the practice has become so ingrained it represents a political "subculture", so to speak. Turning that tide is going to take a tremendous commitment of Bill Sneddenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01860179129919465561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36959219.post-1163351808660098012006-11-12T09:16:00.000-08:002006-11-12T09:16:00.000-08:00Increasing transparency of what Congressmen are do...Increasing transparency of what Congressmen are doing would be one way to help this--publish a searchable database of every Congressional appropriation on the Internet, so that Google and the blogosphere can shine a light on who's doing what for and to whom, would help. So would instituting spending limits, forcing government to internalize the costs of regulation (e.g., along the lines of Lippardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16826768452963498005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36959219.post-1163208871503189432006-11-10T17:34:00.000-08:002006-11-10T17:34:00.000-08:00All good, though you've overlooked one point: pork...All good, though you've overlooked one point: pork is often used not as a way of bribing financial supporters, but as a way of bribing voters. I've seen a number of campain ads that use the pitch "Vote for me because I supported such-and-such government project that brought jobs into the area." A politician who cuts pork runs the risk of being attacked for destroying jobs. This does not mean yourThe Uncredible Hallqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09565179884099473943noreply@blogger.com