reply to post by dariousg
Your point is valid in some respects, though as I have said above, why do the people of the USA (or any other country for that matter) have ti bite
the bullet when the government of the USA (or any other) is financially involved in matters outside of the realm of the general public.
We all pay taxes for many reasons.. we all end up supporting things we disagree with yet are forced, by law, to pay taxes.
Why is it that over a million people should face hunger and homelessness in the 'land of the free' where dreams are supposed to come true.. where
people fought for their independence...
Where is this independence when you have a government that cuts off your hand so it can feed itself in order to maintain issues far away from
home...
like these two prime issues right here;
US opens new Iraq embassy
In recent weeks U.S. diplomats have gradually moved into the $592 million newly-built compound, the world's largest U.S. embassy
building
and/or
the three trillion dollar war
The Bush Administration was wrong about the benefits of the war and it was wrong about the costs of the war. The president and his advisers
expected a quick, inexpensive conflict. Instead, we have a war that is costing more than anyone could have imagined.
The cost of direct US military operations - not even including long-term costs such as taking care of wounded veterans - already exceeds the cost of
the 12-year war in Vietnam and is more than double the cost of the Korean War.
And, even in the best case scenario, these costs are projected to be almost ten times the cost of the first Gulf War, almost a third more than the
cost of the Vietnam War, and twice that of the First World War. The only war in our history which cost more was the Second World War, when 16.3
million U.S. troops fought in a campaign lasting four years, at a total cost (in 2007 dollars, after adjusting for inflation) of about $5 trillion
(that's $5 million million, or £2.5 million million). With virtually the entire armed forces committed to fighting the Germans and Japanese, the
cost per troop (in today's dollars) was less than $100,000 in 2007 dollars. By contrast, the Iraq war is costing upward of $400,000 per troop.
And these are old stories.. It seems we have forgotten these reports, forgotten the amounts involved in something that millions of people around the
globe marched in protest against.. a costly war.
Somebody needs to get their priorities straight (not meaning you) in order for the USA, the UK and Greece (possibly many others too) to actually
balance the books and have a sense of responsibility.
It is our responsibilty to put food on the table. If we can afford it, create work for ourselves and others or to be employed by others.
The governments were quick to bail out the banks with tax payers money to the sum of ...
1.5 trillion (UK)
upwards of 400 billion (USA)
The following information may be the most important we have ever published. One of our Intel sources, highly placed in banking circles, tells
us that on 1/1/10 all banks that have received TARP funds have been informed by the Federal Reserve that they must further restrict any commercial
lending. Loans have to be 75% collateralized, 50% of which has to be in cash, which is a compensating balance.
The Fed has to do one of two things: They either have to pull $1.5 trillion out of the system by June, which would collapse the economy, or face
hyperinflation. This is why the Fed has instructed banks to inform them when and how much of the TARP funds they can return. At best they can expect
$300 to $400 billion plus the $200 billion the Fed already has in hand.
We believe the Fed will opt for letting the system run into hyperinflation. All signs tell us they cannot risk allowing the undertow of deflation to
take over the economy. The system cannot stand such a withdrawal of funds. They also must depend on assistance from Congress in supplying a second
stimulus plan. That would probably be $400 to $800 billion. A lack of such funding would send the economy and the stock market into a tailspin. Even
with such funding the economy cannot expect any growth to speak of and at best a sideways movement for perhaps a year.
We have been told that the FDIC not only is $8.2 billion in the hole, but they have secretly borrowed an additional $80 billion from the Treasury. We
have also been told that the FDIC is lying about the banks in trouble. The number in eminent danger are not 552, but a massive 2,035. The cost of
bailing these banks out would be $800 billion to $1 trillion. That means 2,500 could be closed in 2010. Now get this, the FDIC is going to be
collapsed before the end of 2010, which means no more deposit insurance. This follows the 9/18/09 end of government guarantees on money market funds.
Both will force deposits into US government bonds and agency bonds in an attempt to save the system.
Where and when will it all end? And how?
Seems to be some very nervous people out there..
Edit to add this bit of info
Afghan conflict in numbers
£12bn
Overall cost of Afghan campaign since 2001. Could have paid for 60,000 teachers, 77,000 nurses or 23 hospitals
400%
Increase in MoD spending on Afghanistan, 2006/07 to 2009/10
30,000
Estimate of the number of Afghan civilians killed as a result of the conflict
189
UK service personnel killed in Afghanistan since 2001. The latest death was confirmed yesterday
150%
Increase in Afghan opium production, 2001-07
£100
Average weekly war pension entitlement of widow/widower
4m
Bullets fired by UK forces in Helmand, Aug 2006-Sept 2007.
www.independent.co.uk...
[edit on 2-3-2010 by Extralien]
