JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
-
1
Teacher nabbed for using miror to peek up girl's skirt
-
2
Japan's nuclear safety standards flawed, says commission chief
-
3
To be healthy, live in the big city
-
4
From carnivores to herbivores: how men are defined in Japan
-
5
Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
-
- English Instructor (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe)
- Berlitz Japan, Inc. (ベルリッツ・ジャパン株式会社), Kansai
- Salary: ¥125,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month
-
- FT English Teachers for Kids - Osaka
- Kohgakusha Co., Ltd. （株式会社興学社）, Osaka
- Salary: ¥255,000 ~ ¥275,000 / Month Travel Expenses, Encouragement of Japanese learning*
-
- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
- Salary: ¥6.0M / Year Negotiable
0
sailwind
They are serious about reducing the deficit because they have learned the lessons of history. In 1982 Ronald Reagan (yes that guy) raised taxes in 1982 with the promise from Congress that for every dollar raised by the increase it would be accompained by a spending cut of three dollars as always on some nebulous future date.
G.W Bush the Senior raised taxes in 1990 and was promised by Congress that for every dollar raised by the increase it would be accompianed by a spending cut of two dollars as always on some vague future date.
Bill Clinton's tax hike in 1993 was to make up for the deficit spending that had accrued through Reagan and Bush because, and I realize this is a shocker given how Washington really works.....The promised spending cuts never happened.
As has often been stated what we have is a spending problem not a tax problem, the record speaks for itself on the spending side of the equation and that is why the focus is there, on the spending first as it should be. This is the first step in really changing the way Washington works and the focus is on the right priorities this time to get our financial house in order for the long term health of our nation. And for the record I do believe we will need some tax hikes in the future but they are worthless to solve our problems if the spending side isn't fixed first. If Clinton could have spent the hikes he had gotten to go to worthwhile programs instead of just paying down the debt to make up for fictional spending cuts, think how much better we would be here in 2011.
Posted in: It's a deal: Obama, Congress will avert debt default
0
sailwind
The Japanese Govt doesn't concur.
TOKYO — Japan’s top government spokesman on Monday said he welcomed the tentative deal over raising the U.S. debt ceiling to avoid a default, and said he expected it to help bring stability to roiled markets.
“Japan welcomes the announcement that an agreement was made to avoid default. We expect the deal will lead to the stabilization of markets,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said at a news conference.
That is just plain silly, no offense. That is on par with stating the real goal for Obama is transform the U.S Government into a communist state.
Posted in: It's a deal: Obama, Congress will avert debt default
1
sailwind
Laguna,
That is a massive amount of Government growth.
Posted in: It's a deal: Obama, Congress will avert debt default
1
sailwind
Must be that new math that I missed being taught nowadays.
That same day, the legislation for the bailout was put before the United States House of Representatives and failed 205–228, with one not voting. Democrats voted 140–95 in favor of the legislation,
140-95 in favor equals a no vote, got it.
Laguna,
Passing Obama's health care reform is going to put 1/6th of the American economy under direct federal oversight and control. It is to be done in phases but that is the end result. having the federal government take over is a massive growth in Government. The law will require an additional 1054 IRS agents to enforce compliance.
The source is from U.S News and World Report not "Faux News"
Healthcare Reform Law Requires New IRS Army Of 1,054
By Paul Bedard
The Internal Revenue Service says it will need an battalion of 1,054 new auditors and staffers and new facilities at a cost to taxpayers of more than $359 million in fiscal 2012 just to watch over the initial implementation of President Obama's healthcare reforms. Among the new corps will be 81 workers assigned to make sure tanning salons pay a new 10 percent excise tax. Their cost: $11.5 million.
[See a slide show of 10 ways the GOP can take down Obamacare.]
"The ACA [Affordable Care Act] will require additional resources to build new IT systems; modify existing tax processing systems; provide taxpayer outreach and assistance services; make enhancements to notices, collections, and case management systems to address and resolve taxpayer issues timely and accurately; and conduct focused examinations to encourage compliance," said the newly released IRS budget.
[See a slide show of 10 things that are, and aren't, in the healthcare law.]
In its request, the IRS explained that the tax changes associated with health reform are huge. "Implementation of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 presents a major challenge to the IRS. ACA represents the largest set of tax law changes in more than 20 years, with more than 40 provisions that amend the tax laws."
Unsaid: The requests are just the beginning, since the new healthcare program is evolving and won't be fully implemented until about 2014.
Posted in: It's a deal: Obama, Congress will avert debt default
0
sailwind
Laguna,
Thank you for your sincere response. For your consideration in response to your Question.
That would be Bill Clinton who also overreached his first two years and ended up with a Republican majority in both houses as opposition. He was able to come to terms with the new governing reality and through compromise and some pretty wise legislation was able to produce a surplus. What most folks don't realize a big part of that ability rested on the collapse of the Soviet Union and the massive amount of savings the U.S was able to take in as a peace dividend at that time. It freed up a lot of revenue that could go toward balancing the budget and not be taken from entitlement programs. Clinton really got lucky in being able to avoid the hard choices as to which programs would have to be cut to achieve a balanced budget. Cutting back on defense at that time was a no brainer.
Posted in: It's a deal: Obama, Congress will avert debt default
1
sailwind
Yabits, your facts are wrong.
According to wikipedia:
First House vote, September 29
Just after midnight Sunday, September 28, leaders of the Senate and House, along with Treasury Secretary Paulson, announced a tentative deal had been reached to permit the government purchase of up to $700 billion in mortgage backed securities to provide liquidity to the security holders, and to stabilize U.S. financial firms and markets. The bill was made final later that Monday morning.[4][136] A debate and vote was scheduled for the House for Monday, September 29, to be followed by a Senate debate on Wednesday.[137] In an early morning news conference, on Monday September 29, President George W. Bush expressed confidence that the bill would pass Congress, and that it would provide relief to the U.S. economy. A number of House Republicans remained opposed to the deal and intended to vote against it.[138][139][140]
That same day, the legislation for the bailout was put before the United States House of Representatives and failed 205–228, with one not voting. Democrats voted 140–95 in favor of the legislation, while Republicans voted 133–65 against it.
Also I understand the President Obama can do no wrong in his policies or his economic stewardship as long as Bush was President for a rational progressive almost three years into his Presidency.
Posted in: It's a deal: Obama, Congress will avert debt default
2
sailwind
Laguna,
Labeling people as rightwing crazies or reckless or extremists does nothing but further destroy civility or rational discourse in what is going to be the most important debate this country has had to face in a very long time. The fundamental debate of what size and scope of Government do the American people really want in the and how much Government are we willing to be for said Government. Vast swaths of the American people strongly believe in smaller Government and do not wish to support a Government model on the likes of Europe and a quasi-socialist state. They are not crazies or extremists they are folks who have a different political view then a liberal does. They see a Government that is grown massively since the election of President Obama and a Government that has been reckless with our tax dollars with no appreciable results in return. We are now facing a jobless recovery increasing food and energy prices and a dollar that is in worse shape then it has ever been. You may or may not live in Japan, I do. The yen to dollar exchange rate is now 76 to one dollar. I get in dollars and I have lost almost 25 percent of the value of my income when I exchange my dollars to yen to live on the local economy. I do not see it getting any better anytime soon and am bracing for even worse times as this administration continues to pursue Keynesian failed economics and Quantified easing tactics, which is nothing more than a fancy way to say inflation and printing more dollars further weakening the its value. I do have better outlook for the future though after this deal and what the Tea party has really done for the country and surprisingly it was Yabits, who suggested that the major mutual funds were spooked by the Tea party, he mentioned Fidelity and I checked the web site. Their view.
In the medium-term, a renewed focus on deficit-reduction efforts—even if they are accompanied by noisy and sometimes acrimonious political debate—may ultimately be perceived by financial markets as an increasingly serious determination to deal with the U.S. fiscal budget problems. Without question, meaningful policy changes are needed to ensure a stable fiscal future for the United States. An effort by politicians to focus on and implement structural reforms that provide a long-term solution to reducing the U.S. deficit—rather than solely on whether or not to raise the debt ceiling—may have a positive impact on financial markets over time, and could ultimately alleviate growing concerns about the sustainability of the U.S. fiscal position.
You can thank "The Tea Party" crazies for finally bringing a deal that does bring real structural reforms and not allow a raising of the debt ceiling to just happen to continue to spend our way into oblivion.
Posted in: It's a deal: Obama, Congress will avert debt default
2
sailwind
CBO estimates are based solely upon the assumptions that the CBO is *ordered *to use by congressional leaders. No independent outside auditors or non-partial actual real world scoring involved. CBO estimates are nothing more then garbage in and garbage out.
Reality from July 29th 2011................
Health tab to soar in decade
July 29, 2011|By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The nation’s health care tab is on track to hit $4.6 trillion in 2020, accounting for about $1 of every $5 in the economy, government number crunchers estimate in a report released yesterday.
How much is that? Including government and private money, health care spending in 2020 will average $13,710 for every man, woman, and child, according to Medicare’s Office of the Actuary.
Compare it with this year, when US health care spending is projected to top $2.7 trillion, about $8,650 per capita, or roughly $1 of $6 in the economy. Most of those dollars go to provide care for the sickest people.
Posted in: Late stab at debt-limit deal to avert U.S. default
1
sailwind
The U.S has lacked a budget for the past two fiscal years because the Senate did not do its job. And the argument about a filibuster due to Senate procedural rules is the cause is to put it bluntly a crock. The Senate found away around that one when it passed Obama's health care plan. Scott Brown's election brought the filibuster back into to play to stop that unfunded atrocity from passage and the Senate jammed it through anyway with reconciliation with the House bill that they all of the sudden called deemed to pass with out an actual vote on it by the Senate. The Senate knows actually how to get around the rules when it wants something bad enough. Too bad a budget, one of the most fundamental things a responsible Government is suppose to do with the peoples money isn't one of them with this Senate leadership and administration.
Posted in: Late stab at debt-limit deal to avert U.S. default
-2
sailwind
Scott Brown voted yes on the House bill. He also said he would vote yes on Reid's bill as long as it doesn't raise taxes and cuts spending. What he hopes for and anticipates is that the best of the house bill and the best of Reid's bill will get merged into just one bill during the next round of negotiations so that it will pass.
His exact quote:
I voted for cut, cap and balance. I voted for the Boehner bill. And I’ll vote for the Reid bill... My hope is that today they’ll probably do the posturing, Boehner will come forward, then Reid will come forward, they’ll both fail, and then they’ll finally get down to business, which is taking the best of both bills and putting them together and then passing it.
Posted in: House approves debt bill; Senate rejects it
-3
sailwind
The vast majority of the electorate in those districts didn't listen to the candidates and made an informed decision on who they would vote for? Shoot, why even have elections then.
Posted in: House approves debt bill; Senate rejects it
-2
sailwind
He would not even be Mr. Speaker of the house and majority leader if not for the election of those fringe republicans. These fringe republicans who won a majority of votes in their districts which makes the charge *fringe null and void. They were duly elected on a platform of smaller Government and getting our fiscal house in order by reducing the insane spending. They did exactly what they promised their constituents they would if they were duly elected by the majority of the people of their districts. Elections have consequences and President Obama and the Democrats who's policies where soundly rejected the last election are the ones who still aren't listening to the American people.
Just engaged in name calling once again and putting those that oppose this administration and the Democrats and were elected to do just that as 'fringe' now.
*
Posted in: House approves debt bill; Senate rejects it
0
sailwind
Yabits,
It was MASSIVE government BUYING to win the war, US companies rose to the challenge.
Posted in: House Republicans delay vote on debt limit, spending cuts
-1
sailwind
Yabits, Bush was a miser and a cheapskate compared to Obama's spending spree. FACT.
Posted in: House Republicans delay vote on debt limit, spending cuts
0
sailwind
Did it occur to anyone that the U.S actually deserves to default and have her credit rating downgraded? Our spending is out of control and there is no fiscal sanity anywhere evident in Washington. Until we learn to live with in our means we do not deserve to be able to borrow as we please or be considered a good credit risk. We have not earned our good credit rating since Obama became President and until we change course and get our spending under control and grow our economy through the hard work of the private sector to put people back to work should we bitch that our country defaulted and was downgraded as a not so good credit risk.
Posted in: House Republicans delay vote on debt limit, spending cuts
0
sailwind
The U.S is broke and deep in debt. Asking to borrow more to spend on the national credit card is insane. No offense, but damn it those that follow after me do not deserve to be saddled with this debt. They will be and that is not the legacy I wish to impart to them. What happened to my country? We became so selfish and it is all me me me? Cut the spending, cut the credit card and let Americans do what they do best, be hungry for a better life for their kids and do what it takes to make it happen.
Posted in: Lawmakers wage see-saw battle in U.S. debt default stalemate
0
sailwind
What were going to find out about him is this. Loner, Social outcast with anarchist leanings and delusions that his spree would cause the anarchist revolution he concocted in his own mind. It is my understanding that Norway does not have the death penalty, to damn bad really is............I'd strap him myself if given the chance.
Posted in: Norway horror: 91 die in camp shooting, 7 in blast
1
sailwind
The issue for me is pretty simple. There may be a need for tax hikes in the future and Americans would go along with them if they could be assured that the extra revenue would go to making our budget and future outlays more secure and actually sane and sustainable.
The issue in my opinion is competency. It is amazing to me that this Administration who has shown it cannot manage the revenue it takes in as it is, borrows money it doesn't have to pay for programs it can't fund in the first place, has the gall to say "trust us" by trying to raise taxes.
I say no way until you get your house in order with the revenue you have now. Prove to me that you can actually manage a budget and so far for Obama F is an understatement. The Republicans were right to walk away from this. This administration is not serious, just addicted to spending and since it has maxed out the credit card it wants the credit limit raised to spend even more and a tax increase to cover the new max limit it seeks instead`of paying down the bills it has already incurred on credit and living within its means.
No way is this administration is to be trusted with anymore of the public's money. Asking for more from the public............Stand firm Mr, Speaker stand firm.
Posted in: Obama, Boehner blame each other for failure of debt talks
-1
sailwind
What Planet is the A.P on? Unemployment went up last Month to 9.2 percent and Obama's economic policies produced a lousy 18,000 jobs in June. His economic policies are abject failures and he will be lucky if he carries his home State of Hawaii in the 2012 election.
Posted in: House, Senate leaders meet Sunday on debt talks
0
sailwind
Moondog,
Agreed, this is so much about Republicans and their scandals. Just a silly thought, what is your opinion about Weiner? Misunderstood Congressman? He was Looking for a free pass through the airport without a TSA patdown?
Posted in: U.S. congressman Weiner resigns in wake of sex photos scandal