Austerity: Take the Pain

[Bgno64]

Run time: 03:39 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH3kfyY_4lQ   Posted on YouTube: November 05, 2010 By YouTube Member: gsmartremarks Views on YouTube: 21   Posted on DU: November 05, 2010 By DU Member: Bgno64 Views on DU: 428

 
Gil Smart notes that the nation voted for austerity on Tuesday. But does the nation really know what austerity means?

[Moostache]

1. I refuse to accept austerity measures until and unless all of these happen:

1) End the Afghanistan occupation (all combat and support troops out now)
2) End the Iraq occupation (all 50,000 troops and support out now)
3) Close permanently all prison camps - no more 1/2 measures and hopes, just make it happen
4) Allow ALL Bush-era tax cuts to expire, every single one of them and under NO circumstances allow them to be made permanent on the top 2%
5) Withdraw troops from a minimum of 150 of the 190+ foreign countries we are currently operating in and leave Germany, Korea and Japan as well
6) RAISE TAXES for the top marginal rates like this:
- >$250,000 = 39% (just allow the Bush-era rates to expire and leave these alone
- >$500,000 = 42% (yes, that will suck for the people in this category, but so does "austerity")
- >$1,000,000 = 45%
- >$2,000,000 = 48%
- >$5,000,000 = 50%

7) Tax all financial transactions with a micro-tax of $0.001 per trade to force Wall Street to contribute vis a vis their national slot machine and constant rigging of the system against small investors for their own gains.
8) Audit the Fed and indict all criminals found up to and including the highest levels of government in both Parties
9) Fix the damage wrought by "Citizens United" SCOTUS decision by implementing all new election laws
10) (AND POSSIBLY MOST IMPORTANT) Strip corporations of their status as "persons"

Those 10 items would go a long, long way to righting the ship and avoiding a total collapse of confidence in the USA across the globe. The financial markets and right wingers will hate it, but most often the intensely hated agenda items are the most necessary ones.

The other ideas - like spending freezes and discretionary spending cuts without ANY addressing of the revenues side of the budget - are laughable and not even credible as smoke and mirrors. Cutting Social Security and Medicare are simply not going to fly and no matter how many spooky black men the thugs show in their ads, seniors would flee from them en masse should the Rethugs actually attempt to cut benefits before trying absolutely EVERYTHING else first. Lots of "blue-haired little widows" would be pulling a different lever in 2012 if the Rethugs have their way...

[civilisation]

3. Excellent plan Moostache!!!

You should send this out far and wide, as the logic is undeniable.

[DemocraticPilgrim]

2. Share all over the universe , brilliant report .