My conversation with a hardline conservative on issues including Obama

[Bison 4 Life]

Spent the weekend with a hard-line fiscal conservative .We discussed many issues to including the president and health care. Remember he was a Bush appointee and was at the event  Bush and Cheney reunited last week.


Some take-aways:

• Felt the health summit was a fiasco, and PR. Agreed Lamar Alexander was a poor representative
  
  Thinks Romney will get the nomination
  
  Felt that Obama administration has accomplished little with a super majority
  
  Palin will not run, just teasing the public and loves making $$$
  
  Agrees GOP needs to diversify but with Obama in office would be a waste of time
  
  Thinks spending is out of control and many sacred cows of entitlement ( SS, Medicare) require cuts
  
  Thinks that November could produce record number of wins for GOP but fears they could be extreme and the far right that may not play ball with RNC
  
  Feels POTUS is competent but lacks a pitbull in Congress to ram his agenda thru.
  
  Thinks that if healthcare is not passed or double digit unemployment contyiunes thru say end of 11, Obama is very vunerable is the GOP leaves imigration off the table.
  
  
  Feels that Southern Baptists wil hold nose and vote for a candidate Romney despite being Mormon

[Ken]

Well if you want to cut taxes, yet maintain the present benefits you already have---the onlly solution would be to BORROW the money.  Everything in the federal budget has already been cut--except for social security and medicare--and BOTH parties are scared to mess with that.  But that is where the problem lies.

[y04185]

There has to be spending cuts.  The government has to be better stewards of the taxpayer's money. 

[soflorattler]

There has to be spending cuts.   

Yep. Especially in defense, NASA, and farm subsidy budgets....

[Ken]

yea, everyone want cuts--they just don't want you to cut THEIR favorite program.

[Bison66]

yea, everyone want cuts--they just don't want you to cut THEIR favorite program.

BINGO!!!

It's the fiscal version of NIMBY!!

Also...
"Don't tax me, don't tax thee.
Tax that fellow behind the tree!".....Russell Long

 

[Ramese98]

that is another issue...everyone wants to cut taxes.....well people in order to pay for stuff you gotta have taxes...you just cant cut everything and then have no revenue...

[Bison66]

There has to be spending cuts.  The government has to be better stewards of the taxpayer's money. 

y04,

If you were a candidate for public office again, what would you tell your constituents should be cut that affects them directly?

 

[Bison66]

Spent the weekend with a hard-line fiscal conservative .We disccused many issues to include the president andf health care. Remember he was a Bush appointee and was at the event that Bush and Cheney reunited last week.


Some take-aways:

• 
  Felt the health summit was a fiasco, and PR. Agreed Lamar Alexander was a poor representative
  
  Thinks Romney will get the nomination
  
  Felt that Obama administration has accomplished little with a super majority
  
  Palin will not run, just teasing thew public and loves making $$$
  
  Agrees GOP needs to diversify but with Obama in office would be a waste of time
  
  Thinks spending is out of control and many sacred cows of entitlement ( SS, Medicare) require cuts
  
  Thinks that November could produce record number of wins for GOP but fears they could be extreme right that may not play ball with RNC
  
  Feels POTUS is competent but lacks a pitbull in Congress to ram his agenda thru.
  
  Thinks that if healthcare is not passed or double digit unemployment contyiunes thru say end of 11, Obama is very vunerable is the GOP leaves imigration off the table.
  
  
  Feels that Southern Baptists wil hold nose and vote for a candidate Romney despite being Mormon.

Looks to be about 70% accurate IMO.

White Southern Baptists, IMO and based upon the white southern vote in 2008, will vote for just about anyone other than a Black man.

 

[Golden Kitten]

We can start by cutting the salaries and bennies of those serving in the Congress by 1/2...and cut off their exorbitant pensions as well...

[y04185]

There has to be spending cuts.  The government has to be better stewards of the taxpayer's money. 

y04,

If you were a candidate for public office again, what would you tell your constituents should be cut that affects them directly?

 

Bison, it would depend on the office.  Different offices are responsible for different tax dollars.

soflo, cutting farm subsidies will skyrocket the price of groceries.  Do you really want to pay 2- 10 times more for your groceries.

[Bison66]

There has to be spending cuts.  The government has to be better stewards of the taxpayer's money. 

y04,

If you were a candidate for public office again, what would you tell your constituents should be cut that affects them directly?

 

Bison, it would depend on the office.  Different offices are responsible for different tax dollars.

OK, say the US Congress.

soflo, cutting farm subsidies will skyrocket the price of groceries.  Do you really want to pay 2- 10 times more for your groceries.

Re: the impact of farm subsidies, I am HIGHLY doubtful, but do not know, that farm subsidies account for nearly that percentage of food prices, given:  fuel prices, costs of fertilizer, feed & vets for animals, irrigation, labor, pest control, spoilage, equipment costs and maintenance, etc.  Then on top of those farmers' costs are transportation, storage, processing and all the middle-men: wholesale, retail, and related marketing costs.

Do you have a source....or, y04, is that just your opinion?

My completely off-the-top-of-my-head guess would be that subsidies account for less than 10% - 20% of food prices.   

 

[y04185]

Bison, farm subsidies and monies available to farmers and those in agricultural keep the cost of food down.  That I know from experience.  The USDA website can give you more information if you need it.  Examples of Ag programs that keep the cost of food down are, cost-share, BMPs, monies to close out fields, and to shut down animal waste processors.  The monies used to close out fields keep us from having dust bowls.  I.e. a farmer has several hundred acres that he is not going to farm anymore.  There is money he can use to plant grass or trees on the acreage to keep the top soil from eroding.  If not for these programs the farm land would become useless to agriculture.

Congress, first I would do what is best for my district.  Which might not sit well with your district.  Fiscal responsibility would go two ways.  One would be the committees I am assigned to.  Second, doing my best to insure the bills I vote for are fiscally responsible.  It might be to cut layer(s) of government bureaucracy.  I would not vote for any earmarks.   

[Bison66]

Congress, first I would do what is best for my district.  Which might not sit well with your district.  Fiscal responsibility would go two ways.  One would be the committees I am assigned to.  Second, doing my best to insure the bills I vote for are fiscally responsible.  It might be to cut layer(s) of government bureaucracy.  I would not vote for any earmarks.   

In other words, there are no cuts you would advocate that directly affect your constituents.

 

[Cholly]

We can start by cutting the salaries and bennies of those serving in the Congress by 1/2...and cut off their exorbitant pensions as well...

GK baybee, don't hate the playa; HATE DA GAME! 

Campaign Finance Reform....