[fabsroman]

With the economy the way it is right now, I don't think the gov't can afford to raise taxes. However, I think we need a combination of both raising taxes and decreasing gov't spending to get this nation back on track. I'm not just worried about the budget deficit, but the national debt of $9,000,000,000. What is a budget deficit of $32 billion when the nation is already in debt by $9 trillion. Just think of what the interest is on $9 trillion a year. At 5% it equates to $450 billion.

Yep, I think we need to increase taxes and decrease gov't spending to get the nation back on track.

How about social security. If we were to raise the FICA tax right now an additional 3%, social security would be solvent well into the future. I could even retire and not have to worry about whether or not I would receive social security. However, whenever Americans hear that their taxes will be increased, they have a stroke.

Yes, it is bitter medicine, but it is medicine we need. Again, it cannot be done right now because the economy would completely tank, but it does need to be done. If taxes were left to a vote by the American people, it would probably be a landslide vote for no taxes, but the gov't and the nation would be up the creek without a paddle.