AMERICAN CONSERVATISM IN 2008 AND BEYOND

That's exactly what GW Bush did, and he created the biggest deficit after Clinton left him with a surplus.

That's what I've been saying; conservatives prefer war that spends money in other countries that destroys and kills over helping our own citizens with health care.

Article I.
Section 8.The Congress shall have power To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States;

you mean like taking my money and giving it to the oil companies? the other corporations? so they don't have to pay taxes?

and capital gains taxes?

conservatives prefer war that spends money in other countries that destroys and kills over helping our own citizens with health care.

cicerone imposter wrote:

conservatives prefer war that spends money in other countries that destroys and kills over helping our own citizens with health care.

Nonsense!

Conservatives prefer spending money on securing our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Sometimes a war is required to obtain or maintain that security. We prefer avoidance of war if that can be done without losing our security to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

cicerone imposter wrote:

conservatives prefer war that spends money in other countries that destroys and kills over helping our own citizens with health care.

Nonsense!

Conservatives prefer spending money on securing our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Sometimes a war is required to obtain or maintain that security. We prefer avoidance of war if that can be done without losing our security to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

so where are those weapons of mass destruction, by the way?

are we sure that hasn't always been the case? meaning when it comes to what the currency is based on, "why gold?". can't eat it wait, i take that back. i have had a couple of indian dishes where they drizzle a small amount of melted gold over it..... can't burn it to cook or stay warm. pretty much all it does is look nice.

in other words and similarly to your thought, isn't then gold the standard because because the government says it's the standard ?

same with wampum or those sticks (can't remember what they are called...) ?

Almost correct, Joe! I'm not sure "that congress is not authorized to print paper money." I'm also not sure that congress is authorized to print paper money.

But I am sure that Congress and the president are not granted the power by the Constitution to "transfer wealth," where "transfer wealth" means: transfer the property of those who lawfully earned it to those who have not lawfully earned it.

Then what does that make me?
I am a conservative, and I supported a liberal democrat for President, if he had run.

I did NOT support Obama or Hillary, but I am on record as saying that I would have supported and voted for Evan Bayh (D-In).

He is far more liberal than I like, and I would not have supported most of his positions, but IMHO it was the "intangibles" that I liked about him.
Those are the things that define what kind of person he is, not his positions and policies.

REUTERS FACTBOX: Where has the bailout money gone?
July 1, 2009 - Staff - Reuters

The Treasury said on Tuesday that 16 banks received $3.63 billion from the government's $700 billion financial rescue fund bringing total disbursements to date to a net $371 billion.

The Treasury's latest transaction report, for June 26, includes $3.4 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program or TARP, funds for Hartford Financial Services Group Inc.

Six insurers won government approval for federal bailout money last month and the Connecticut-based Hartford is the first of them to take the bailout money.

Following is an outline of funds spent or pledged from the U.S. bailout fund so far:

-- An unspecified amount pledged to recapitalize some of the country's largest banks, if needed, in the wake of regulatory "stress tests." Regulators required 10 of the 19 banks tested to raise a combined $74.6 billion.

-- The Treasury has allotted $100 billion to seed its public-private plan to buy up to $500 billion worth of toxic assets. The figure includes $25 billion to expand the Federal Reserve's Term Asset-Backed Loan Facility, or TALF, to accept so-called legacy assets as collateral.

-- In its latest transaction report, the Treasury said it had net investments of $133.07 billion under its original Capital Purchase Program, which was initially pegged at $250 billion. This figure reflects repayments of $68 billion made by 10 of the largest U.S. banks on June 17.

-- $50 billion pledged to reduce mortgage foreclosures by providing incentives to lenders and servicers to modify loans. It has allocated $17.98 billion in potential incentives to 23 firms so far.

-- $20 billion investment in Citigroup (C.N) as part of a package in which the government agreed to share in losses on $301 billion of assets. In addition, the Treasury has disbursed $5 billion as part of its second-loss guarantee. The $20 billion is in addition to $25 billion disbursed as part of the Capital Purchase Program.

-- $20 billion investment in Bank of America (BAC.N) as part of a package in which the government agreed to share in losses on $118 billion of assets. In addition, the Treasury has pledged to cover up to $7.5 billion in potential losses as part of a second-loss guarantee. The $20 billion is in addition to $25 billion disbursed as part of the Capital Purchase Program.

-- $69.84 billion preferred stock investment in troubled insurer American International Group (AIG.N). This was reduced by $165 million from an earlier commitment, representing the amount of controversial bonuses paid by AIG in March.

-- $79.97 billion has been disbursed to the U.S. auto industry, including bankruptcy financing and other loans to GM and Chrysler LLC, $5 billion in support for auto parts suppliers, and a $12.5 billion investment in GMAC LLC.

Of the total amount, the department said it made available up to $30.10 billion in bankruptcy financing for General Motors (GMGMQ.PK) on June 3.

-- $20 billion has been shifted to a special purpose vehicle to cover potential losses on $200 billion in lending under the Fed's TALF. Treasury officials say they intend to provide an additional $35 billion to enlarge this program for lending against recently originated securities. When considered in conjunction with the $25 billion being set aside to expand TALF to cover older securities, the Treasury has said it intends to commit $80 billion to TALF.

-- $15 billion pledged to purchase securities backed by Small Business Administration loans.
http://www.tarptales.org/node/1029

Well, it seems that we are seeing some return on this money -

The Obama administration’s Office of Management and Budget raised its 10-year tally of deficits expected through 2019 to $9.05 trillion, nearly $2 trillion more than it projected in February. That would represent 5.1 percent of the economy’s estimated gross domestic product for the decade, a higher level than is generally considered healthy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/business/economy/26deficit.html?_r=1