XPost: can.general, can.politics, ott.general   
   From: noone@nobody.com   
      
   Ladytron wrote   
      
   > John Fleming wrote   
   >   
   >> I think the problems started emerging long before 2004-06.   
   >   
   > You are spot on.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   > And troubled economic times should not be when spending cuts come in.   
   > Spending cuts should occur when the economy is growing and tax revenues   
   > are high.  That pays down debt because higher tax revenues combined with   
   > lowered spending add up to surpluses, which reduce said debt.   
   >   
   > Bush cut taxes during a time of fiscal good times when he didn't need   
   > to.    He ignored the debt.   
   >   
   > In the late 1990's, both Canada and the USA had a great problem.  What   
   > to do with the surplus.   Paul Martin put it against our debt.   
   >   
   > When Bush moved into 1600 Penn ave.  He said "the government is taxing   
   > the people too much" and reduced taxes, forgetting about the debt   
   > obligation.   One that never goes away.   
   >   
   > When times are of low economic activity, that's when government steps in   
   > and asserts well earned stimulus, through tax cuts and Federal spending.   
   >   
   > But if they don't save for a "rainy day", it's all mute.   Economic   
   > activity is not day-to-day, it's a long term strategy.   
   >   
   > Sure.  Harper has increased our debt since the surplus days of the   
   > Liberals, but there was a requirement to do so because it meant heading   
   > off the impact of the screw ups in the USA.   
   >   
      
   Sorry for inadvertantly redirecting the replies to can.taxes.   
      
   But think of it this way.  In 1999, 17% of every freaking tax dollar you paid   
   went towards interest on our debt.   It's higher now.   
      
   I am debt free.   I consider interest payments a bad thing.   
      
   Why not pay that down with higher taxes in good times?   
      
   But never get the idea that reducing spending during times of low economic   
   activity is a good idea.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)