The 80's ? The Good Old Days ???

[akaBruno]

I didn't want to get shot in the gun control thing... So...

I'm still chuckling about Scotter saying that our economy is based on the Military, heheheh... I guess people in San Diego might see it that way.

Here are a few things that I remember from the 80's.

Record bank collapses and farm forclosures. The Savings and Loan debacle that George Bush's kid was in on. Junk bond schemes. How 'bout making an arms for hostage deal to hold the captives untill Reagan's innauguration day. They stole that election. Remember Iran Contra, when everybody said," I dunno..." Everyone that worked for a living took pay cuts and it all went straight into the pockets of the wealthy.

That military arms build-up may have broken the Russians backs but we did it on a credit card of our own. We have to pay it off now.


In the 70's America was sick of war and million dollar military toilet seats. In the 80's Reagan brought it all back.

In the 60's we had Viet Nam.

Back in the 50's Dwight David Eisenhower(the last good Republican President) warned the American public to watch out for the Military Industrial Complex. He coined the term then and exposed them as crooks.

Do we repeat history? Or learn from the past?


BRUNO




[This message has been edited by akaBruno (edited 06-15-2000).]

[mattheadfat]

as my friend sean says, "the best things come from the 80's: paul simon's 'graceland' and me"

[Warthog]

hehe..that's a good one . I came from 80s also.

Warthog

[akaBruno]

While Bob Dylan asked questions in the 60's, Paul Simon was tryin to become a songwriter. Graceland was about freedom in South Africa, a far differnt portrait. A noble effort indeed.

The politicos who wish to make Ronny Raygun, and Star Wars Gods, are sadly lacking in truth. The 80's sucked musically and economically. Wall Street was pillaged by theives and con_men. But hey, it looked good on paper, until they got caught.

[ISD]

The one thing that I liked about the 80's can be summed up in two words....Pat Benatar!

[tonym]

Listen,

It's REAL easy to try to kick and denegrate old Ron Reagan, but if the real truth be known, he's responsible for the structural framework that has provided our unprecedented growth today.

You may hate him because he's a Republican, but you must respect him for his many accomplishments. The arms-for-hostage thing was NEVER directly linked to him...but his enemies are still trying to discrace him to this day, but they come up empty!

You know what the direct effect of the 80's is??

Bill Clinton. Soccer moms and politically-correct yuppies saw him as the second coming, and ordained him to "lead" us because of his persona and his age. He's the embodiment of the perfect media candidate...blown-dried hair and smarmy answers and all! With his election and subsequent re-election it looks like our collective greed from the 80's has finally caught up with us.

And "Bush's kid" wasn't the only one with ties to S&L's in the 80's/early 90's. Remember Whitewater and Hillary's stock winfall?? Not a person who lived through the 80's can wash their hands of that mess. We were ALL, in one form or another, involved as the gravy train touched our portfolios whether we want to admit it or not!

In the 80's, President Reagan stood tough against the Russians but in the 90's/00, Clinton appointed imbeciles that have virtually given away our most sensitive secrets to our adversaries! And now these same bureaucrats have over-regulated us to the point of impotency and dependency...the current gas price escalation is a gleaming illustration of this ineptitude!!! And God help us if we're challenged in the world thearte militarily...our national defense has be compromised by cut after cut and the gutting of our ability to defend ourself and project our influence wherever necessary. Superpower. Now? Yeah, we're a real super-duper power!!

President Reagan has earned his legacy...the fall of Communism in Europe and our winning of the Cold War. Clinton has yet to find a place to try to scratch out something important that he'll be remebered for, except "I did not have..."! Only 6 months left and no real legacy...he's gotten what he's deserved!!! I guess we all did! But don't be disheartened, there's still time for him to "Wag the Dog" again!


Tony

[hd581]

what is the largest amount of U.S. funds spent on ? got any idea ?

lets see oh I know the military

Really? I could swear it was Medicare/Medicaid, by an incredibly large margin over everything else, too.

[tonym]

hd581,

You are correct! Our fearless leaders have turned us into a society of co-dependent "loot-junkies"...gimmie guys and gals!

Somehow the US has mandated compassion and pays well to the beneficiaries. We don't have to take responsibility for ourselves, old Uncle Whiskers will take care of us!

Only until the worker bees get tired of carrying the drones around on their backs! God help the future generations that have to support the remaining aging Baby-Boomers. It will essentially be one worker contributing SS taxes to support one SS receipient!

It has to change...but no politician will touch this "third rail" issue! So, we'll have to wait for a leader that's a patriot that can and will rally everyone with plain talk, honesty and reason, and make the changes necessary.

Anyone who buy's into the Social Security bunk is buying into "The Big Lie"!


Tony


[This message has been edited by tonym (edited 06-16-2000).]

[This message has been edited by tonym (edited 06-16-2000).]

[scotter]

Really? I could swear it was Medicare/Medicaid, by an incredibly large margin over everything else, too.

it dont even come close to the amount spent by and on the military

[Warthog]

You guys have any spending figures? or is this speculation....just curious because I really don't have a clue.

Warthog

[jad1097]

Here are the facts on spending. http://w3.access.gpo.gov/usbudget/fy....html#Spending

The largest Federal program is Social Security, which will provide monthly benefits to nearly 45 million retired and disabled workers, their dependents, and survivors. It accounts for 22 percent of your Federal dollar (or 23 percent of all Federal spending).

[tonym]

Thanks jad!!

You can also find this information on page 56 of your 1999 Form 1040 instructions! The fiscal outlays are more than 50% in social programs. Guaranteed votes from co-dependnet voters!!! Hey, we've discovered the largess in the public treasury!! See the "America's Problem" thread!

As you can see, the FACTS say that our defense is funded at our debt-service level. But, we're obviously a nation of the dependent...upon social programs. Not that they're all bad, but they will eventually bankrupt us if we let this get out of hand.

Remember the former USSR???

Tony

[Warthog]

Jad, you da man.

Warthog

[scotter]

thats a bit of a lie on that chart as social security is paid out buy SSI tax's
if you take that into acount and take SSI out of that pie break it down a little more you would really see the diff in where the money goes I'll see what I can find and post it

[Faramir]

Bruno... I think what you 'remember' of the '80s is the version Democrats and the media keep repeating. The history revision is wrong.

Bank collapses and farm foreclosures were the result of Ford and Carter economic policies, and the 1981 and 1982 budget deal. The Democrats in congress, led by Tip O'Neill, reneged on a deal to reduce taxes by $2 for every $1 increase. No one seems to want to remember that part. that.http://reagan.webteamone.com/reagan_budgets.html

When Reagan finally forced the Democrats to cut taxes EVERYONE prospered. EVERYONE was able to keep more of THEIR money and were able to spend or save as they wanted. This resulted in more jobs and a stronger economy. http://reagan.webteamone.com/living_standard.html http://reagan.webteamone.com/tax_cuts.html

The hostages being held by Iran weren't going to be released because they hated Carter and thought he was weak. Reagan had nothing to do with their captivity or their release. But because an author wrote a theory in a book, people choose to take it as fact.

'Arms for hostages' and Iran-Contra are the same thing. Reagan said he knew nothing about it and I believe him. Because I know him to be honorable and a man of great character, I will give him the benefit of any doubt. If he would have said he was aware of the dealings of his subordinates, I still would have no problem with it because freeing Americans and fight Communism is an honorable cause. Certainly more honorable than someone having sex with an intern, denying it, then lying to the American public about it on national TV (but thats another thread).

Bruno.. I say we learn from the past.

------ Faramir