OT of an OT: Ethanol

Suicide Junkie · #1 March 29th, 2006, 06:33 PM

Quote:

If Canada's government chose to lower taxes tomorrow and finance 20% of its spending through borrowing, would the Canadian economy suddenly be "in the crapper?"

No, but I would call the country "going down the tubes"

Think of it this way:
Imagine how much lower taxes could be, if you didn't have to pay interest on your debt! Better yet, calculate it.

Fyron · #2 March 29th, 2006, 07:49 PM

Or, you know, reduce spending so the govt. doesn't have to borrow or raise taxes...

capnq · #3 March 29th, 2006, 09:45 PM

Tonight's episode of the CBS Evening News had a story about Brazil's ethanol program.

I don't have the bandwidth to doublecheck if that URL works; if it doesn't, go to CBS and search for "ethanol".

Jack Simth · #4 March 29th, 2006, 10:18 PM

I *think* This is the link you're looking for....

Might be a cookie issue, but it seems to work for me.

Phoenix-D · #5 March 30th, 2006, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Imperator Fyron said:
Or, you know, reduce spending so the govt. doesn't have to borrow or raise taxes...

From..where, exactly? If you nuked everything except SS, Medicare, and defense, and interest payments we'd STILL be in a deficit..

Atrocities · #6 March 30th, 2006, 02:13 AM

You guys need to learn the golden rule. Nothing means nothing were all going to die. So if you can't effect change, learn to live with what is what and f*** the rest. It don't mean jack for were all going to be long dead and forgotten by the time that it matters. And by then, no one will care. So nuff said, move on.

Baron Munchausen · #7 March 30th, 2006, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Atrocities said:
You guys need to learn the golden rule. Nothing means nothing were all going to die. So if you can't effect change, learn to live with what is what and f*** the rest. It don't mean jack for were all going to be long dead and forgotten by the time that it matters. And by then, no one will care. So nuff said, move on.

In other words, don't worry what this crushing debt will do to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Just enjoy the faked affluence now.

Atrocities · #8 March 30th, 2006, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Baron Munchausen said:

Quote:

Atrocities said:
You guys need to learn the golden rule. Nothing means nothing were all going to die. So if you can't effect change, learn to live with what is what and f*** the rest. It don't mean jack for were all going to be long dead and forgotten by the time that it matters. And by then, no one will care. So nuff said, move on.

In other words, don't worry what this crushing debt will do to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Just enjoy the faked affluence now.

No, they will pass it on to the next generation just like we are doing now.

At least they will have ethonal powered cars though.

Atrocities · #9 March 30th, 2006, 05:42 PM

What would happen to a planet who's atmosphere is hydrogen/whatever, and you tried to land a rocket on it? would it not ignite the atmosphere?

Will · #10 March 30th, 2006, 03:10 AM

Well, part of the reason that Clinton managed to get surpluses by the end of his time in office was by realizing that the US wasn't in an arms race with the USSR any longer. Then Bush got in office, and brought with him a bunch of advisers from the Reagan and Bush Sr. era, who are still of the mindset that the US needs a large standing army (while slashing taxes to boot, 'Reaganomics'). Only problem is, there isn't a national enemy to justify it. The closest thing we got is "terrorism", and that's not something you fight by throwing more bodies at it, it's fought via infiltration.

You might say that countries like China could become an enemy, but I don't think so. Both the US and China have too much to gain by staying on each others' good sides, and the Communism boogeyman is no longer effective as a justification for the 35-and-under age group (people who grew up watching USSR fall).

Let the tax cuts expire, freeze military spending at the current amount (sans Afghanistan/Iraq spending) for a decade or so before allowing it to grow with inflation again, and there will be a federal budget surplus again. After that, you only need 536 miracles to get that surplus to pay off the debt to a more reasonable level (say, $1 trillion instead of the over $8 trillion it's at now). Because every time you get a politician to pass up the opportunity for budgeting something to make themselves look good, it's a miracle, and it would take convincing 435 Reps, 100 Sens, and 1 Prez to make that happen.

Anyway... ethanol. Not only would it be cool to have cars that use it, but if you drink it in little tiny cups, the world gets all wobbly!