Which Costs More?

[affrayer]

TARP, Recovery Act, Health Care or the republican tax cuts for the wealthy?

The answer will surprise you: http://www.politifact.com/virginia/statements/2010/dec/27/bobby-scott/rep-bobby-scott-says-tax-deal-costs-same-health-ca/">Rep. Bobby Scott says tax deal costs same as health care reform, exceeds price of Stimulus and TARP

This is just another example of how republicans like to balance the budget.

[Taitertots]

1. Who cares what it costs? What matters is the benefits Americans receive

TARP- Saved the American people from economic meltdown. Benefits exceed cost
Health Care- Benefits the American people much more than it costs. Good reason to spend.
Tax cuts for the rich- Benefits tiny minority while hurting millions of American. Bad Policy.
War- Does nothing but hurt people, while costing hundreds of billions. Bad Policy.

[jwirr]

2. I like you point of view.

[ThomCat]

3. Um...

TARP - saved the BANKS from economic meltdown. They have been stashing and hoarding that money. They have been refusing to circulate that money by lending it, or by hiring.

He hasn't done jack in comparison to save people with mortgage problems, or to protect people dealing with those predatory banks that are using illegal tactics. He won't even acknowledge that the banks are doing anything wrong or have the government investigate them because he trusts and supports big business. Their recovery is important. But he won't trust people enough to have the government offer them help directly.

He hasn't done jack to save people who are sliding into poverty and homelessness, because unlike corporations, people are supposed to find jobs to help themselves. People can only get minimal, temporary assistance and the only jobs program he puts money into is the military.

He can't even bring himself to stop implementing free trade agreements, that are shipping even more jobs overseas, even though everyone knows that free trade agreements are one of the big underlying causes of the destruction of our economy, and something he campaigned against! Instead of finding ways to build more jobs here, he's sending more jobs overseas, proving that he really believes in this "jobless recovery."

Health care - was a republican proposal followed by more concessions to republicans and business lobbyists, guaranteeing that heath care corporations and insurance companies will always benefit first and most from this "reform." If you start with a right-most plan and keep conceding towards the right, you don't end up with a liberal result. It's a republican plan defended by a democratic president who failed negotiate anything better. Lowering costs was not even one of the goals. Instead stated the goal was to "reduce the rate at which costs increase," and the large lag times for implementation allow companies to jack up the rates before that slow down in rate increases has to begin.

So far, every benefit we are supposed to receive, insurance companies are maneuvering to avoid. End to coverage caps: increase the number of people who can't get any insurance at all, and force more people out onto medicaid. Mandate coverage for kids: some companies just stop covering kids entirely. Domestic partners and unmarried partners must be covered: Jack up the costs and reduce what the plans provide and cover for that money so people simply can't afford to cover those domestic partners and unmarried partners with adequate policies.

Everything has been a written so that the corporations are in charge of the rules and the terms.

Tax cuts for the rich - Yes, a bad policy, not only because it includes a tax increase for the poorest (most of us) but also because that tax holiday is a poison pill to undermine social security, making it easier to kill social security in a few years, again hurting most of us.

War (and war on terror?) - Yes, again, a bad policy that does nothing but bad. Refusing to enforce treaty obligations to assist allies in investigating torture allegations internationally against the CIA, STILL protecting torturers, still torturing, and still expanding war that isn't necessary or doing anyone any good. Won a peace prize while being a warmonger. Rounding up peace activists and holding them without charges indefinitely, expanding spying upon US citizens, claims power to assassinate US citizens without trial with he claims they are involved in terror, and if you don't like what the TSA is doing he is giving them the power to arrest and sue you for resisting or trying to opt out, becoming worse that Bush in terms of violating civil rights of citizens.

[affrayer]

4. The Fact Is, The Tax Cuts Cost Way More

The republican tax cuts for the wealthy, which lasts only two years more, will cost more than the others over the next two years.

The republicans also want to do away with "Pay-Go."

So the next time you see a republican whining about deficits, you know they are lying out of every orifice they own.