[ExI] dolchstosslegende, was: RE: cost of SBSP and thorium

[spike]

>... On Behalf Of Stefano Vaj
Subject: Re: [ExI] dolchstosslegende, was: RE: cost of SBSP and thorium

On 21 August 2012 15:34, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:
>>... The Tea Party has been vilified in every way, yet its main message is 
> that perhaps we really aren't bankrupt yet.  But the solutions are 
> painful.  We need to call home all troops overseas everywhere, and lay 
> off most of the ones we currently employ, retire the more expensive 
> weapons systems, end most government assistance to the poor, stop 
> offering unrealistic government-funded retirement promises to those 
> currently working, end the war on drugs, etc.  This was all great fun, 
> but we have run out of other peoples' money.

>...I should read more about the Tea Party, because I had no idea they were
taking such radical stances...

Stefano, most Tea Partiers probably don't make such radical stances.  But it
is clear enough to me and to those with any math skills what needs to
happen.  The numbers are available.  The fundamental principle of the Tea
Party is found in its name, which is derived from Taxed Enough Already.  It
is based on the idea that the US government cannot balance its budget by
increasing taxes, but must get there primarily by cutting spending.
Increasing taxes does not necessarily increase revenue, and may decrease
revenue, as California has demonstrated.

>...But, just to get to the angle which is the most pertinent to the list:
what do they propose to do with research programmes?

That's the bad news.  As far as I can see, those will need to be cut back
too, along with everything else.  The best stuff and that which has actual
monetary return will still be funded, even if not by the government.  But I
can see it coming as clearly as the sunrise: like it or not, everything will
need to take at least a partial cut, everything, defense, welfare, research,
education, everything.  We have no choice in this.  We can do it now
voluntarily and in an orderly fashion, or wait, and let it be horribly
destructive chaos.

>...Because, all in all, I still believe that most of anybody's chances lie
with the fact that things do *not* remain as they are from a technological
point of view... -- Stefano Vaj
_______________________________________________

Indeed.  

spike