WILL BILL CLINTON GO TO IRAN NEXT?

Ex-president Bill Clinton was successful in his trip to North Korea to obtain the release of two American women that worked for Al Gore's TV station. The women were serving 12 year sentences in a North Korean jail.
What type of concessions were given to North Korea by Bill Clinton will probably not be known ever.Yjis is because the transparency promised by Obama pre-election, have never materialised! But I am glad these two women were freed!

But what about the three women who are held prisoner in Iran's jail as potential spies? Will this result in another "diplomatic" trip that Mr.Clinton takes in place of his Secretary of State wife?

The American hikers were detained by Iran after allegedly straying across the border, and now have been moved to Tehran, according to a report from ABC News. This may be a signal that their ordeal will continue if the USA does not intercede.

Kurdish officials in Iraq, said the three contacted a colleague to say they had entered Iran by mistake on Friday and were surrounded by troops. Iran's state television countered this claim later, saying the Americans were arrested after they did not heed warnings from Iranian border guards.

A newscaster on state television also cast doubt on whether they were hikers who had lost their way, saying Western media had also reported some of them were journalists.
And as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle; they are! Source:KRONTV.com

Sarah Shourd of Oakland and Shane Bauer who graduated from U.C. Berkeley are two of the three Americans being held after they accidentally crossed into Iran while hiking in Northern Iraq. Joshua Fattal from Oregon is the third U.S. detainee.
Shourd is a writer and teacher based in the Middle East. She's written for the Matador Pulse. Bauer, a fluent Arabic speaker, is a correspondent for New America Media. He's also written for the San Francisco Chronicle and other U.S. papers.

So far our State Department has only contacted the Swiss to "confirm" (the arrest) reports with Iranian authorities and, if true, to seek consular access" to the two men and one woman.

The U.S. does not have diplomatic relations with Iran, and the Swiss represent U.S. interests there.

My suggestion is that since Obama has already extended his offer to meet with the "little tyrant" Ahmadinejad with no pre-conditions, he now negotiate the release of these three Americans.

The following story explains the present situation going on in Iran.
"Iraq has appealed to Iran for information about the detention of three Americans who crossed the border while hiking in the Kurdish north, the foreign minister said Saturday.

The request came as the three entered their second week in captivity facing the possibility of an investigation on spying charges despite the insistence of U.S. and Kurdish authorities that they accidentally went astray.

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said he raised the issue Thursday during a meeting with Iran's ambassador to Iraq.

"He did confirm that they have been arrested for entering the country without proper visas and they are now being interviewed to determine more details," Zebari told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

The ambassador, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, promised to pass the request for more information to his government, Zebari said.

Iranian lawmakers were scheduled to discuss the case Sunday during the weekly meeting of parliament's foreign policy committee, according to Press TV, the English language Iranian state television.

"We will discuss the additional information (handed to us) and the details of the case," said Hossein Sobhaninia, the deputy chair of the commission, in a report on the channel's Web site.

While these American citizens languish in a Tehran prison, there is a trial ongoing that is unlike any other trial in Iran's judicial history.

A young French academic and local employees of the British and French embassies appeared before an Iranian judge Saturday along with dozens of opposition figures accused of involvement in the country's postelection unrest that turned violent in the streets.

The extraordinary mass trial in Tehran's Revolutionary Court demonstrates the government's resolve to discredit Iran's pro-reform movement as a tool of foreign countries. Particularly Britain and the United States, who allegedly are trying to spark a revolution to topple Iran's Islamic system. It sounds to me like a good time for Obama to demonstrate if his silvery tongue works as well on our known enemies as it does on the people who put him in the Oval Office!

WE CANNOT JUST TALK OUR ENEMIES TO STOP THEIR ATTACKS

No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism...Winston Churchill

You would not know it if you relied on the Obama propaganda network, aka:major newspapers and TV networks,but we are still fighting two wars. Iraq and Afghanistan, with North Korea rattling the nuclear sabres and an Iran that is rapidly approaching nuclear weapon capability. We can little afford to ignore the military needs of our country. After all that is one of the main reasons why we have a federal government!
President Obama is not commander in chief of our health care and economy. He is Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces. acting like he is the designate to destroy our military preparedness. Never in the history of my life and it has been a long and lucky life has a president chosen to reduce spending on our defense in a time of war!

But as this report submitted in the Heritage Foundation web site by William Rivers will illustrate, that is what our POTUS is doing!

"President Obama’s purportedly “flat” defense budget is in actuality a declining budget, beginning with 3.81 percent of GDP in 2010 but dropping to 3.01 percent by 2019. Considering that research and development for new weapons programs is taking the brunt of the blow, the United States is staring at a repeat of the 1990’s Clinton procurement holiday from which the military still hasn’t recovered.

Now in 2009, after seven years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq, personnel and essential equipment have suffered tremendous strain. The Obama Administration celebrates its victory over cutting seven F-22s from the defense budget, but in 2008 the Air Force had to ground over 300 F-15s in response to an incident where one of the aged fighters “broke in half” during a training exercise. Never mind that the F-22 was supposed to replace those legacy fighters, we’ve still got the F-35. Right?

Already over a trillion dollars, the F-35 program is $38 billion over budget and 27 months behind schedule according to the GAO. And now, Pentagon leaders may decide to make cuts to that program, as well. So after killing the F-22 on the grounds that the F-35 is the silver bullet solution, now we’re eyeing the F-35 for future cuts? What exactly are America’s airmen and women supposed to use, paper planes?

The solution is simple. Heritage has advocated that President Obama commit to spending four percent of the nation’s GDP on core defense programs—excluding funding for Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Obama has already promised three percent of GDP to ‘science,’ so defense would hardly be a stretch. Protecting Americans is the first job of the federal government. A commitment to a larger defense budget will ensure that the military can buy enough next-generation equipment to fight and win for the next 40 years".

Obama was once quoted as saying that "if they bring a knife to a fight we will bring a gun".Well, apparently he doesn't feel that strong about the men and women who go to fight his wars. He might as well send them to battle with sticks and stone for their sling shots!

This man must be stopped by the voters in the voting booths in 2010 and then sent out to write more books in 2114!!

CONSERVATIVE MOB MEET THE UNION THUGS

"When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'present' or 'not guilty.'" --President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)
Roosevelt could just as well included the Democrats in the House of Representatives, and some RINOs who know that the Health Care plan they are trying to pass will cost more, limit choices and ration care, even though they all are mouthing the party line straight from the Obama insiders. They are equipped with a "canned" speech that is scripted to push the plan without answering any questions from those who question the specifics of the plan.

First speaker of the House Pelosi, called the people in Denver who asked questions at the Town hall meetings, "a mob carrying swastikas and symbols like that". Then Obama said in Virginia; "I don't want the folks who created the mess to do a lot of talking. I want them to get out of the way so we can clean up the mess."
And Barack Obama told a crowd of supporters in Philadelphia back in 2008, “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.” He added, “That’s the Chicago way.”Is that the Change we wanted?

Last night in St. Louis, Missouri, a local conservative found out firsthand about the “Chicago way.” Kenneth Gladney, a black conservative from the city, was handing out “Don’t Tread On Me” flags after a Russ Carnahan town hall meeting on health care in Mehlville. This didn’t go over well with the Obama supporters and union thugs who attended the meeting. They punched him in the face, kicked him in the head, and stomped on him on the pavement. So much for hope and change.



If that was not enough intimidation and character assassination of regular folks trying to get politicians to answer their questions, and when they were given the run around, got loud! This was said by White House deputy chief of staff, Jim Messina in a meeting with Democrat Senators who have to go home and face voters who are unhappy with Obamacare.
He told senators to do more prep work than usual for their public meetings by making sure their own supporters turn out.

Then he uttered this questionable statement despite the fact that there have been no reported violence at Town hall meetings up to now!
“If you get hit, we will punch back twice as hard,” Messina said. And apparently the "heavys" at SEIU heard the call to action!

And as if by magic the Union thugs of SEIU and Acorn started showing up yesterday at scheduled health care town hall meetings.
In one meeting they beat up a Black man who was just selling buttons and flags.He ended up in the hospital.And at another meeting a man was ruffed up by large burly men who wore SEIU shirts in Tampa Florida.

In St.Louis six people were arrested at a demonstration Thursday evening outside a forum on aging called by U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis.

"Two of the people were arrested on suspicion of assault, one of resisting arrest and three on suspicion of committing peace disturbances, police say.

The forum drew an overflow crowd of several hundred to Bernard Middle School gym in south St. Louis County. Dozens of people, many carrying signs about the health care debate, were kept out because of the turnout. The back and forth between factions within the crowd created a carnival-like atmosphere inside and out between members of the movement opposing President Barack Obama's policies and groups who came to show support for the president's proposals.

The six people were arrested after confrontations outside the school, said county police spokesman Rick Eckhard. Carnahan was gone when the ruckus started, Eckhard said.

Post-Dispatch reporter Jake Wagman, who was covering the event and shooting video for Stltoday.com, was arrested for interference".
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the police showed up toward the end of the forum held by Democratic Rep. Russ Carnahan. One Black conservative(Kenneth Gladney) interviewed at a local emergency room where he was being treated for injuries, said he was attacked by some of the individuals, who were eventually arrested, as he was selling "Don't tread on me" flags. He was hit in the face repeatedly and when he fell they kicked him in the head. He was interviewed today on Neil Cavuto's TV show and said the people who hit him were SEIU members!
Source:Saint Louis Post Dispatch

Ken Spain, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, called such remarks evidence that Democrats are "desperate to climb their way out of message quicksand."

"Here's some free advice for the Democrats: When you are attacking the voters, you are losing," he said. "Conjuring up 'villains' and making elitist remarks about middle-class Americans isn't a strategy, it's a prayer. And I will add it is a prayer to the wrong Diety!

THE TURNING POINT FOR OUR REPUBLIC AND OUR FREEDOM

"An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy; because there is a limit beyond which no institution and no property can bear taxation." --John Marshall

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently warned Congress, again, that the trajectory of the federal budget is on an unsustainable course.[v] For fiscal years 2009 and 2010, the federal government will reach the largest deficits--annual budget short falls--as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) since the close of World War II.[vi] The national debt--the sum of all previous deficits--is set to reach 60 percent of GDP by the end of fiscal year 2010.[vii] The CBO warns that these "Large budget deficits would reduce national savings, leading to more borrowing from abroad and less domestic investment, which in turn would depress economic growth in the United States. Over time, the accumulation of debt would seriously harm the economy."
A country burdened by such a massive debt must be dependent on foreign Countries to support that debt, and some who now hold our "paper" are not what I would call friends. Communist China for example!
While the deficit and debt is driven largely by entitlement spending--Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security--the proposed spending by the Youth PROMISE Act and all other new programs being advocated in Congress only move the nation closer to fiscal insolvency. Not including "such sums as necessary" authorizations for the PROMISE Implementation Grants (Section 215) and "Mynisha's Law" (Section 505), the five-year cost of the Act is just shy of $1.3 billion from fiscal years 2010 to 2014. However, the version of the Youth PROMISE Act from the 110th Congress (H.R. 3864) set the budget authority for the Implementation Grants at $2 billion per year. Therefore, a more credible estimate of the cost of the act is $11.3 billion from fiscal years 2010 to 2014. This estimate does not include the cost of "Mynisha's Law" that funds comprehensive gang prevention and relief areas.

Too often, the focus of Congress and grant-making bureaus is the easy and wide dissemination of grants to constituents. As a result, the number of mediocre programs funded under the Youth PROMISE Act will vastly outnumber the number of exceptional programs receiving funding. In addition, the Office of Justice Programs has had difficulty monitoring and evaluating grant-funded programs to ensure that the funding is not being wasted.

Congress should contemplate the fact that government's intervention in the lives of youth can cause more harm than good. SOURCE:THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION
Then we have the distinct possibility of a militarist Russia as was demonstrated by the presence of at least two Akula class nuclear submarines two hundred miles off the coast of Georgia. Who knows how close they came to our coast line only GOD knows!

To combat the threat of a belligerent Putin led Russia,a nuclear North Korea, and a very soon nuclear Iran. We must have the best available nuclear and stealth submarines in the world.
Most countries have the missile capability of destroying any surface ships we send to combat any aggressor, but the nuclear sub can deliver more fire power than a fleet of air force bombers, by launching it's nuclear missiles.
Unfortunately many of our first line attack submarines are old by today's standards.

The U.S. submarine fleet has declined by 41 percent in just a decade. Only by upholding the long-held SSN standard and moving to a two-per-year built rate by the next fiscal year will the Navy's submarine fleet meet combatant commander requirements that have only increased since 9/11.
The Heritage foundation's recommendation to the Defense Department is that Congress appropriate monies for one new SSN submarine be built in 2010 and then two be built each year after until our submarine fleet is capable of defending our freedom and our allies, if we still have any!

The U.S. Navy's requirement for its undersea fleet is 48 nuclear attack submarines (SSNs); however, the backbone of this fleet, the Los Angeles-class boat, is aging quickly, while overall SSN numbers are projected to drop to the low 40s by the 2020s

If we have 3 billion dollars to spend on supporting the automobile dealers in the "clunkers" scheme, we sure should have enough money to defend ourselves when, not if, an enemy attacks the USA! One Virginia class submarine costs 3.4 billion dollars, and they last a lot longer than any car, and will save us when we need saving!

If Congress doesn't stop spending like our tax dollars are MONOPOLY money, the days of freedom from oppressive taxation and Federal Government regulations will come to a grinding halt, and we will be like any other third World Country whose citizens rely on government largess for scraps of our daily bread!!

LIBERAL HYPOCRACY RAISES IT'S UGLY HEAD

In May of 2005 the Left wingers were up in arms because a Republican had the temerity to suggest that American citizens could help fight drug addiction.
The following post was listed on the web site AlterNet with the title "SPY Vs Spy"!

"A senior congressman, James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), is working quietly but efficiently to turn the entire United States population into informants--by force. Sensenbrenner, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman, has introduced legislation that would essentially draft every American into the war on drugs. H.R. 1528, cynically named "Safe Access to Drug Treatment and Child Protection Act," would compel people to spy on their family members and neighbors, and even go undercover and wear a wire if needed. If a person resisted, he or she would face mandatory incarceration. Here's how the "spy" section of the legislation works: If you "witness" certain drug offenses taking place or "learn" about them, you must report the offenses to law enforcement within 24 hours and provide "full assistance in the investigation, apprehension and prosecution" of the people involved. Failure to do so would be a crime punishable by a mandatory minimum two-year prison sentence, and a maximum sentence of 10 years.

Taking time to talk to your relative about treatment instead of calling the police immediately could land you in jail. In addition to turning family member against family member, the legislation could also put many Americans in danger by forcing them to go undercover to gain evidence against strangers. Even if the language that forces every American to become a de facto law enforcement agent".

Now fast forward to today, and check out the directive that is posted on the Democrat web site,"Obama White House" and you will find that the left is asking Americans to do the same thing that Hitler told German children they should do if they heard any negatives about Der Fuhrer from their parents!

"At RedState.com. Here's the headline: "If you oppose Obamacare, even in casual conversation, the White House wants to know about it." Jeff Emanuel put this up 1:45 this afternoon. "If you see anybody publicly opposing President Obama’s plan to implement a government-centric overhaul of the health care system, the White House wants you to report that person (or persons) ASAP.
There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain e-mails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an e-mail or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to Flag@WhiteHouse.gov."

And they opposed the Patriot Act!!

So the White House is asking its supporters, these Obama groupies that hang on their website, if they get an e-mail, they hear anybody talking about fishy stuff, disinformation about the health care plan, send their name, send a copy of their e-mail to the White House.

The problem with this claim of disinformation about health insurance reform, control of personal finances to end of life care, the White House has gotta understand, people have read the House of Representatives bill. It's all in there! None of this is being made up.

There's a parallel going on in the world right now to this bunch that's running this country and the parallel is Iran. They supposedly had a fair election. The people of Iran didn't think it was fair. They think it was a fraudulent election and they started protesting in the streets. Even the people of Iran, this was too much to swallow, the mullahs were just putting one over on them, they wanted a reform candidate to win, they didn't like any of this, they didn't think Ahmadinejad was the legitimate winner, they started protesting, and what was the result"? Death in the streets!!

Apparently, it is not enough to resort to Sal Alinsky' method of targeting your enemies and then demonizing them, as Speaker Pelosi has so adroitly demonstrated by calling the Health Insurance industry the villains, and those who oppose the health Care bill as part of a MOB!! She's got to be the most distrusted politician in the country. And the competition for that dubious distinction is something fierce among he fellow Democrats!

Now they want their diminishing supporters to snitch on any one who has the temerity to question Obama's programs. After all they are just paid mob participants in an organized effort to bring down Obama. SAYS THEM!!

OBAMA'S BIG MISTAKE: TO TRY TO DESTROY PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE!!

Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” —Ronald Reagan

While Canada has a publicly funded system of medical and physician services, life and health insurers play an important role throughout the country in funding health services not covered under government programs. These services include extended health care benefits, dental insurance, travel insurance, disability income insurance and accidental death and dismemberment benefits. Canada’s life and health insurance companies provide over 90 per cent of Canada’s private health insurance, with the remainder provided by some property and casualty companies. In 1999, fully 22 million Canadians had extended health care insurance, 15 million Canadians had dental insurance and nearly 8 million were covered by disability income insurance. Much of this insurance is provided through benefit plans provided by employers for their workers.

Wellpoint, {A COMPANY I WORKED FOR FOR 7 YEARS} (Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield’s parent company) has put together a very informative report on the cost drivers for health insurance premiums. The dollar bill visual representation that they included is particularly eye-opening, in terms of detailing where our health insurance premiums go. A lot of the report centered around what we already know: health care costs are what drive health insurance premiums. But I was especially interested to read that a full 60% of consumers surveyed thought that profit margins for health insurance companies are more than 20%, and 25% of consumers pegged insurers’ profits at more than 40%!

This is astounding to me. If we look at all industries, only two show profits greater than 20% for 2007 (network/communication equipment, and mining/crude oil production). Further down the list we see “Insurance: Life, Health (stock)”, with profits at 10.6% of revenues.
AFLAC stands out as a recognizable player in the health insurance industry, but their product is supplemental, and not designed to be stand-alone health insurance coverage (and they also focus on disability and life insurance products). From what I could determine, three other companies on the list provide some type of health insurance coverage (but seem to be mainly focused on other insurance products): Conseco, Torchmark, and American National. Conseco and Torchmark both sell supplemental and “a la carte” policies. American National is still a mystery after my few minutes of researching. Their website says that they sell major medical plans as well as accident and sickness plans. But they don’t provide any plan details that I could find, and instead direct consumers to an 800 number to talk to a sales rep. I don’t know for sure, but I’m going to hazard a guess that health insurance isn’t their mainstay if that’s how they’re marketing it.

The industry as a whole chalked up a profit margin of more than 10% in 2007, but that was carried by the life insurance side of the industry. Health insurance companies don’t fare nearly as well when it comes to making profits. Far more of their revenues are eaten up by claims, which continue to grow year after year as health care costs increase, and the Congress passes regulations that demand that previously not covered services be included in the health plans!

Like all of Obama's plans to shape America in his idea of a Utopian socialist country. He has not mentioned, or even considered the unintended consequences of destroying private health insurance by putting in place a National health plan!

My research turned up these statistics about a state larger than many European countries, California. The state has 484 companies that offer disability, long time care and health insurance.
These companies employ 244,000 people and will pay to the state in taxes in 2009-10,2.1 billion dollars! They also have invested 29.2 billion dollars in California municipal bond, and have a payroll that also is subject to individual taxation of 1.6billion dollars! Source: ACLHIC annual report

I do not have the national statistics, but if you admit that on average, most states will have one half the income and one half the investment as California, times 49states. You have some real money!!
And Obama wants to destroy this money making machine for the states and the federal government! Is he crazy?? If you doubt me, just look up how many speeches he made on the campaign trail where he said his objective is a SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE SYSTEM TO REPLACE THE INEFFICIENT AND COSTLY PRIVATE INSURANCE INDUSTRY!!

He is either a Marxist or a very dumb lawyer who is getting very bad advice!

CASH FOR CLUNKERS IS BAD FOR THE POOR AND FIRST TIME CAR BUYER

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is predicting the Senate will pass legislation adding $2 billion to save a financially strapped "clash-for-clunkers" car-buying program.

LaHood said Monday that the program has been "wildly popular" and argued that it is good for the economy as well as the environment. In an interview broadcast on MSNBC, LaHood declined to discuss administration options if the Senate does not act before it goes on its summer recess at the end of the week.

LaHood said, "We're encouraging senators to listen to their car dealers and the people they represent. If they do that, it will pass the Senate

THIS BUREAUCRAT DOESN'T BOTHER TO MENTION THAT A LARGE PORTION OF THE TAX PAYERS MONEY BEING SPENT IN THE "CLUNKER" PROGRAM, IS GOING TO THE NEW GENERAL MOTORS. NOW OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT!
This despite that the economy is performing worse than hoped, and revised White House figures point to deepening budget deficits, with the government borrowing almost 50 cents for every dollar it spends this year.
The deficit for the current budget year will rise by $89 billion to above $1.8 trillion — about four times the record set just last year. The unprecedented red ink flows from the deep recession, the Wall Street bailout, the cost of President Obama's economic stimulus bill, as well as a structural imbalance between what the government spends and what it takes in.

Like all legislation that is passed hurriedly, the clunker scheme has many unintended consequences!
This program could decimate the used car market that was before this debacle was instituted, the source of cheap transportation for the POOR and the young who just need a car to get to work or school!

It will also reduce the pool of spare parts used to repair existing older cars that are involved in accidents. Thus hurting another business, the 'fix-a-wreck" business.
This program is a joke. It is taking affordable vehicles for the poor off the road and giving away taxpayer money to those who would buy a car anyway. All it is doing is pushing auto sales forward by a few months. Once the program ends auto sales will be lower than ever.

LOOK OUT MIDDLE CLASS, THE TAX MAN IS COMING FOR YOU!!

So much for campaign promises. It appears that another betrayal of trust of American voters who were confused by the silvery tongue of Obama, is about to happen.
Remember Obama the "Messiah" demonizing rich people and corporations who give large bonuses, who were the Target of massive tax hikes to pay for his myriad of social programs.
Well, they found out there is not enough money to pay for his socialization of America even if he takes all the money the "rich" have. Even if he begins with people who make 250K a year. The middle class small business owners! The back bone of the middle class.


Appearing on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” Sunday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner floated President Obama’s next big move: a tax increase on middle-class Americans.

Geithner made it clear during the interview that the administration believes that new federal revenues are needed, and he declined to rule out raising taxes on Americans earning less than $250,000 per year to get those revenues.

During the interview, host George Stephanopoulos pointed out to Geithner that the “Congressional Budget Office estimates that your budget will add $9 trillion to the national debt over the next decade.”

Stephanopoulos also noted that former Clinton Administration Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman has said that a tax increase is needed.

“Independent analysts also say ... you're going to have to find new government revenues,” said Stephanopoulos. “The former deputy treasury secretary, Roger Altman, said: ‘It is no longer a matter of whether tax revenues must increase, but how.’ Is he right?”

Geither did not disagree with Altman.

“George it is absolutely right and very important for everyone to understand that we will not get this economy back on track, recovery will be not strong and sustained, unless we are--can convince the American people that we're going to have the will to bring these deficits down once recovery is firmly established,” said Geithner.

Geithner said the country is going to have to face what he called “a very difficult challenge: in getting the size of the deficit down.

“And the necessary path to fiscal responsibility, the necessary path to getting this country living within our means again is not just health care reform, to bring down those costs, but we're going to do a range of other things,” Geithner said. “And that's going to be a very difficult challenge to this country. We can do this, it just requires the will to act.”

Asked Stephanopoulos:”Including new revenues?”

“Well, we're going to have to look at--we're going to have to do what is necessary,” said Geithner. “Remember the critical thing is people understand that when we have recovery established, led by the private sector, and we have to bring these down, deficits down very dramatically. We have to bring them down to a level where the amount we're borrowing from the world is stable at a reasonable level. And that's going to require some very hard choices. And we're going to have to try to do that in a way that does not add to the--unfairly to the burdens that the average American already faces.”

Stephanopoulos then tried to get Geithner to rule out a tax increase, which Geithner would not do.

“So revenues are on the table as well?” asked Stephanopoulos.

“Again, we're not at the point yet where we're going to make a judgment about what it's going to take,” said Geithner.

“But you're not ruling it out. You can't rule it out,” said Stephanopoulos.

“Well, I think that what the country needs to do is understand we're going to have to do what it takes,” said Geithner. “We're going to do what's necessary".
SOURCE:CNSNEWS/COM

The 2008 OECD study found that the US taxed the top 10% more than all other OECD countries. Yes, more than Sweden, France, etc). If they're going to spend money like water, it's almost inevitable the tax revenue extracted from the middle class had to increase. What's ironic is that the Obama administration keeps claiming health reform is needed to address budget deficits!