How Many of Us in OT Think

[Rot 911]

That none of the candidates represents us. Man I feel like I am in a lifeboat adrift in the sea and no one is looking for me. All of the candidates seem to be catering to some social welfare group of the other. I see dark days ahead for ALL taxpayers, not just the rich.

[Tobra]

none of them represent my interests, including the ones that have already been elected to do so

For example, I have had nobody representing me in the Senate for many years

[frogger]

I totally agree with you, Kurt.

[RickM]

But if there were a candidate for "us" then some other demographic would feel alienated. Hard for one candidate to be all things to all people.

...and don't worry the way things are going we will one of those social welfare groups

[MRM]

It's just a matter of mathmatical certainty that we will either see massive tax hikes, massive cuts in government services, or both in the near future. Our deficits are not sustainable and we can't grow out of this budget problem the way we did in the early 90s unless Al Gore invents a new internet. We're entering a recession where it would be suicide to raise taxes or cut spending, but we can't afford not to. The government is broken regardless of who takes over in 2009.

[Mo_Gearhead]

QUOTE: "...massive cuts in government services,"
_________________

I guess Superman is still asleep in the Fortress of Solitude.

But he will soon awaken and explain to all of you how this is impossible and how efficiently things are running.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Totally agree. I think Washington is so busy pandering to the special interest groups that they've totally lost touch with the average American. Those that work, and work hard, are currently squarely in the crosshairs. This isn't a party issue, it's business as usual on both sides. I feel like the current choice is between bad and worse.

Something has to be done, because the course we are on cannot be sustained. However, I worry that we don't have anyone in office with the balls to do what needs to be done. I don't think we have anyone who will cut back the glutton of government spending, but it has to happen.

[gprsh924]

Originally Posted by MRM

massive cuts in government services,

One can only hope

[lendaddy]

So who/which entity do we see pushing spending cuts?

McCain - no
Clinton - that's funny
Obama - Stop it my sides hurt
Dem House - It's Party Time!
Dem Senate - Whooo Hoooo

Bush spent like a housewife at Walmart where as this next run will be Paris Hilton on Rodeo Drive.

[Rot 911]

That's the problem len, Bush turns out to be a big spending Repub, McCain and any Dem will only be worse.

[cmccuist]

I thought I read somewhere that for every dollar spent on social programs, only 30 cents acutally make it to the recipients.

70% overhead?!?! If that was a charity, you wouldn't donate to it. Then if you add in all the fraud that is a part of every government program, you see how much waste there actually is.

Seems like we could do something there.

We've all read about the $1000 toilet seats and $400 hammers that the military routinely buys. How about a little exposure for the other wasteful government agencies?

[Rick Lee]

What gets me about gov't. representing this or that demographic more than the others is that so many people view it as a zero-sum game, which it is not. No poor person's life will change for the worse if rich people are taxed less. But pandering pols use class warfare and envy to whip up voter sentiment. However, raising taxes on what pols call rich people WILL affect those taxpayers. So many people think the estate tax is fine because it will never affect them. Just wait until the small business they work for has to lay people off or close down because the owner died and his heirs have to sell the place off to pay Uncle Sam. Class envy is going to make tax hikes easier to pass and politicians, since they only care about the immediate political benefit, will never bother telling people that we'd all be better off with lower/less taxes. The only option for me is to become well off enough that I either don't have to care or can hide my money elsewhere. It's a long-term goal and for now I only view taxes as protection money I have to pay to our mafia gov't. to stay out of jail.

[The Gaijin]

Dark Days. It is all a money game.

We can't pay for the boomers and we can't pay for the future bills for the kids and parents of those let in to prop up the the boomers.

[Evans, Marv]

Special interests and the drive to get reelected trumps everything else at this point. Seems like it has reached critical mass. When listening to various radio talk programs around SoCal, I frequently hear callers comment they feel the way I do - disallusioned. I never heard that before.
Remember that all of the entitlement programs have gone through many decades of empire building to become the behemoths they have today.

[kstar]

Originally Posted by frogger

I totally agree with you, Kurt.

Thank you! Uh . . . er . . . um, okay.

Seriously, I would not expect any tax reform from Obama, Clinton or McCain.

Best,

Kurt

[frogger]

Kurt's are gettin' to be a dime a dozen around here.

[the]

As has been predicted by many for 50+ years now, entitlement spending is what will eventually take this country down.

It is currently 70% of our budget, after the next president (whichever of these losers it is going to be), it will probably be 80%.

The Democratic candidate is going to win the presidency, will enlarge entitlement programs and raise taxes to try to pay for it. That will kill an already weak economy.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Darkest Days (also a good album by Stabbing Westward. . .)

Honest, hardworking Americans who value self-advancement through education, risk-taking, enterprising ventures and motivation are going to be punished worse than ever before to support and prop up the legions of deadbeat, slacker, grunt labor baby factory types.

I have a number in my head - a percentage of total income. If my "payout" into our stupid gubmint redistribution of wealth programs exceeds that, I'm packing up my stuff, my family and I'm moving overseas. Seriously. I love this country and it would break my heart to do it, but I believe you have to go where the opportunities are. If we get to a point where the opportunities are no longer in America due to an influx of thieving illegals, resident deadbeats and ghetto trash, I leave. Sadly, I see us going rapidly in that direction. Hard work, risk-taking and education are punished and marginalized. Staying at home and sucking off the government teat and being a sheep-like follower is rewarded.

Very sad.

I love sailing and boats too, but I wouldn't stay on board a sinking one. If that number I have in my head ever gets met, I walk. I don't care how "good" my situation is or how good my job is. It's not anything I can't get elsewhere. It'd be difficult, it'd be painful and it'd be a gigantic PITA, but ultimately it'd beat staying on board and seeing my efforts go to prop up a society of pathetic deadbeats and users - and a government that rewards/encourages/condones it.

[kstar]

At least Mac does have Steve Forbes endorsing him, which may or may not mean Forbes' views on taxes and spending will have an impact on Mac. Hopefully it means something positive.

Best,

Kurt

[jyl]

This poll makes no sense. Thus I didn't vote.

The title asks if any of the candidates represent me.

The polls ask if the next 4 years will be better or worse than the last 4.

These are completely different questions.

Some of the candidates could represent me just fine, but I could still be pessimistic about the next 4 years based on problems created in the last 8 years.

I wish guys who post polls would think them through a little more.