>> ^MarineGunrock:

Why are "handouts" like medicare called mandatory and things like national defense called discretionary?

Medicare and Social Security aren't "handouts", they're benefits you pay for all your life via payroll taxes explicitly earmarked for that purpose (look at your pay stub sometime if you don't believe me). The reason they're mandatory is because they're essentially debts owed to the American people, real people, not just bond-holders. That's actually why they're called "entitlements" -- people are entitled to receive them, because they've already paid for them!

Defense is "discretionary" because Congress gets to decide how much money to spend on it each year. It's not like Social Security or Medicare where people have been promised a fixed benefit in return for the taxes they've paid.

>> ^MarineGunrock:

Here's a fucking idea: stop spending more than we make. If the Dems would just agree to a balanced budget, the Republicans would raise the cieling.


Dems have been bending over backwards here, MG. They've even offered to break the promises made to seniors for Social Security and Medicare, and drastically cut all kinds of important programs. All Dems are saying is that there needs to be some additional revenues in the plan.

Most sane people agree that closing the deficit should include both spending cuts and tax increases, but not the Republicans. They've long since rejected a plan that would've been 83% cuts, and 17% revenue (mostly from closing loopholes), because they insist it be 100% cuts, and not a penny of revenue.

Not to mention, the debt we're facing now is essentially entirely created by Republcians. Look at this chart of the debt since 1950: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_Debt_Trend.svg

Notice that post WW2, both parties ran surpluses to pay down the debt accrued during the war. Then look at 1980, when Ronald Reagan took office. Debt explodes! Until Clinton comes into office, then the trend reverses. Then Bush reverses it back. Obama hasn't reversed the trend Bush started yet, but he also inherited the worst recession we've had since the Great Depression, and Republicans are pretty much refusing any proposal, even one highly skewed towards their policy preferences.

Thanks for the promote MG!

In reply to this comment by MarineGunrock:
*promote

The thumbnail image for this video has been updated - thumbnail added by radx.

MG, you ain't tough!

Thanks for the promote MG!

In reply to this comment by MarineGunrock:
*promote

in the fort worth area you have me, inflatablevagina, drax and alternating weekends brain is up from houston we're all buddies and meet regularly on my porch.... i also go to houston a lot... where my boyfriend (brain) and his brother are old sifters. the boyfriend would go, his bro wouldn't. choggie lives there, i bet he'd be down. also ctrlaltbleach is in htown but ive never met him. austin is smack in the middle of the two cities and has the best bar scene by far and at least four of us are usually down for a weekend trip to austin, given enough notice. oooh and geesussfreak is somewhere in the hill country area... near austin. >> ^dag:

Tempting. Especially the baked goods. What's the best city for a Texas Sift up and how many Sifters / permanently banished Sifters could you rustle up?>> ^peggedbea:
wtf? no texas sift up???? you don't want to smoke a joint with me and choggie and listen to our beautiful coon ass poetry and eat our delicious baked goods??? also, we give amazing hugs.
we might be abrasive on the internet, but it's totally a front to how soft and cuddly we are on the inside. >> ^dag:
What the hell! Where's your dedication? Where are you at MG? I may be swinging by Austin on my travels. >> ^MarineGunrock:
. Six hours (one way) is a long drive for drinks. Maybe next time!

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Tempting. Especially the baked goods. What's the best city for a Texas Sift up and how many Sifters / permanently banished Sifters could you rustle up?>> ^peggedbea:

wtf? no texas sift up???? you don't want to smoke a joint with me and choggie and listen to our beautiful coon ass poetry and eat our delicious baked goods??? also, we give amazing hugs.
we might be abrasive on the internet, but it's totally a front to how soft and cuddly we are on the inside. >> ^dag:
What the hell! Where's your dedication? Where are you at MG? I may be swinging by Austin on my travels. >> ^MarineGunrock:
. Six hours (one way) is a long drive for drinks. Maybe next time!

>> ^dag:

What the hell! Where's your dedication? Where are you at MG? I may be swinging by Austin on my travels. >> ^MarineGunrock:
. Six hours (one way) is a long drive for drinks. Maybe next time!



We seriously need transporter/portals, especially for me when I am disabled and don't drive.

wtf? no texas sift up???? you don't want to smoke a joint with me and choggie and listen to our beautiful coon ass poetry and eat our delicious baked goods??? also, we give amazing hugs.
we might be abrasive on the internet, but it's totally a front to how soft and cuddly we are on the inside. >> ^dag:

What the hell! Where's your dedication? Where are you at MG? I may be swinging by Austin on my travels. >> ^MarineGunrock:
. Six hours (one way) is a long drive for drinks. Maybe next time!

I'm in Phoenix. I'll be seeing DarkRowan pretty soon, though.

I'd really like to go, but I'd have to drive Saturday, hang out there, stay at at hotel , and drive back. It'll be over $100 just in gas. >> ^dag:

What the hell! Where's your dedication? Where are you at MG? I may be swinging by Austin on my travels. >> ^MarineGunrock:
. Six hours (one way) is a long drive for drinks. Maybe next time!

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

What the hell! Where's your dedication? Where are you at MG? I may be swinging by Austin on my travels. >> ^MarineGunrock:

. Six hours (one way) is a long drive for drinks. Maybe next time!

ct on a mission .. lol thanks MG

self link *ban

edit: I get what you're saying MG but there is a HUGE warning about this (that you have to click through) before you can sift your first video.

@berticus




Another MG blog post.




*runs away giggling*

Sorry for hijacking your blog MG