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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Senate Fiscal Cliff Doomsday Countdown Thread

Discussion in 'Archive: The Senate Floor' started by Jabbadabbado, Nov 8, 2012.

  1. Platelet

    Platelet Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    I don't understand the problem with cutting military funds. If we funded wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the better part of a decade, but we no longer have an active presence in Iraq, why can't the budget be reduced to reflect that?
     
  2. Rogue_Ten

    Rogue_Ten Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 18, 2002
    because defense contractors are powerful and the electorate is stupid

    because Capitalism
     
  3. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002
    We might need to defend ourselves against a North Korean or Iranian invasion!
     
  4. annikinstarkiller

    annikinstarkiller Jedi Grand Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 16, 1999
    My money is on us "defensively" protecting ourselves by invading Iran first. Unless the new fearless leader does something typically North Korean and stirs the pot.

    On the fiscal level, I wouldn't actually object to a much smaller defensive budget. Not the conspiracy type, but makes you wonder if all those trillions don't provide enticement to use-it-or-lose-it with the military. A war does justify spending, and nobody argues against supporting the troops.
     
  5. AAAAAH

    AAAAAH Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2012
    we might have to defend ourselves against russia.
     
  6. Obi-Zahn Kenobi

    Obi-Zahn Kenobi Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 23, 1999
    I'm really confused. I thought everyone was just misspelling "physical cliff".
     
    Summer Dreamer likes this.
  7. Ghost

    Ghost Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2003
    I really, really don't think this will happen... but some are throwing around the idea of making a new "Carbon Tax" part of the Grand Bargain on the fiscal cliff:
    http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/08/us-carbon-tax-fiscal-cliff-idUSBRE8A71IU20121108

    Meanwhile, Bill Kristol says it's stupid for Republicans to keep opposing tax increases on the wealthy, that it's not where they should make their stand and that half of millionaires vote for Democrats anyways:
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/11/bill-kristol-taxes-millionaires_n_2113671.html
     
  8. TheShinyLightsaber

    TheShinyLightsaber Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    As a student of Economics, I just have to say that no compromise would help. The only solutions to the problems are so far right of either party, that they will do nothing to help. To solve the problem, eliminate the Federal Reserve Bank, stop borrowing money, do not bail out anyone, shrink the federal government, lower regulation, stop favoring one company over another (corporatism), lower taxes (Stop class warfare). That is in short.
     
  9. AAAAAH

    AAAAAH Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2012
    hey i love you, by the way.
     
  10. Ender Sai

    Ender Sai Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Feb 18, 2001
    FISCAL CLIFF.
     
    Rogue_Ten likes this.
  11. Ender Sai

    Ender Sai Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Feb 18, 2001
    lol, "as a student of economics..."

    If you're a student of economics I'm the last surviving son of Krypton.
     
  12. Rogue_Ten

    Rogue_Ten Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 18, 2002
    im going to the grand canyon tomorrow and strongly considering going through with it
     
  13. AAAAAH

    AAAAAH Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2012
    farewell, rogue ten
     
  14. Ender Sai

    Ender Sai Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Feb 18, 2001
    What? Throwing yourself off a FISCAL CLIFF?
     
  15. Bender666

    Bender666 Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 2012
    You could probably make some cash off of that if you were a student of economics.
     
  16. Ender Sai

    Ender Sai Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Feb 18, 2001
    Esp since the grand canyon would be somehow public and yet privatised under the magic yet BS world of Austrian economics.
     
  17. Bender666

    Bender666 Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 2012
  18. Platelet

    Platelet Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    I just got some bad news tonight. In anticipation of the fiscal cliff, the NIH is only finding the top 6% of research grant submissions. To put this in perspective, it's been around 8-10% for the past few years, and we all thought we'd hit the worse case scenario. About a decade ago, funding was around 20%. This could potentially ruin research institutions, and would feed into the economic collapse.
     
  19. Ender Sai

    Ender Sai Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Feb 18, 2001
    May I present Rogue_Ten:

    [​IMG]
     
  20. TheShinyLightsaber

    TheShinyLightsaber Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    Yeah for liberty! I hope they get to fund 0% very soon.

    Buncha socialists.
     
  21. Lowbacca_1977

    Lowbacca_1977 Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2006
    Further posts not actually discussing the fiscal cliff itself, solutions to, politics of, etc, will be edited out.
     
  22. yankee8255

    yankee8255 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 31, 2005
    Given that the estate tax would revert back to pre-Bush era levels (55%, only the first $1mil exempt) if a deal isn't reached, I've asked my parents to either die now or wait until a deal is reached.
     
  23. Vaderize03

    Vaderize03 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 25, 1999
    Get an estate planning attorney.

    You can put assetts in an irrevocable trust (or a breakable one, even) to protect them from estate taxes.

    There's no way the GOP, with so many wealthy members and donors (or the Democrats, come to think of it), are going to allow that one to stand. No way.

    Peace,

    V-03
     
  24. yankee8255

    yankee8255 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 31, 2005
    Estate planning long done, but even that has its limits. €5 mil exemption eliminates the need fo rmuch of it.

    And, btw, I was kidding.
     
  25. Ender Sai

    Ender Sai Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Feb 18, 2001
    Can anyone explain the rationale of estate tax? Besides the state's pathological need to dip into money that's not theirs nor have they done an ounce of work for.

    Bearing in mind that the estate was not created on pre-tax monies.
     
    yankee8255 likes this.