SW03ES

Read up: http://www.factcheck...welfare-reform/ You still don't respond to my post above about the deficit. We're not talking about unemployment, we're not talking about welfare, we're not talking about any of that. We're talking about the deficit. I'm not even talking about Obama... How does Romney's spending plan make sense given the data I presented above from the Federal Budget? How can we expect that Romney can balance the budget while reducing revenue, increasing defense spending, all without touching medicare or social security? How is it possible? You run a business. Can you take in less income, increase your expenses, and continue to offer your workers the same benefits? No... The answer is...if he cuts taxes and eliminates taxes the way he has suggested, increases defense spending as he has suggested, and doesn't cut significantly into Medicare and Social Security...he will EXPLODE the deficit. Show me where I'm wrong. We know this will happen, it makes sense when you look at the numbers, and it happened under Reagan and Bush Jr when they cut taxes...Romney has proposed even more drastic cuts. Do you remember George H.W. Bush's undoing? "Read my lips, no new taxes?" Well...he had to raise taxes? Why...because his predecessor's tax cuts exploded the deficit. He had to raise taxes or cut into Social Security and Medicare. Same thing will happen with Romney. Like I said to Lenore...its okay to say you don't know or can't refute what I've said...as Rob did above. If you want to vote for Romney because you don't like Obama, or because Obama said this, or you think he'll be a better figurehead for the country, thats fine...but don't kid yourself or others into thinking he has some plan thats going to fix this overnight...he doesn't. In fact, his plan may make our economic situation worse. If you're okay with that...thats fine. It may help in the short term, get capital moving, create some jobs...but he WILL NOT start us down this road Lenore describes of getting our fiscal house in order. The numbers don't lie. To me...we see a budget projection here that shows significant deficit reduction over 4 years. If we do some things to plug tax leaks and loopholes for top earners we can achieve even more reduction, the economy continues to improve we add more taxpayers in...I see how we can balance this budget. Romney is offering something that I know will make things worse. You add into that the Republican platform of redefining rape, outlawing abortion even in cases of rape, incest, or the health of the mother, a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and woman (this is their published platform)...IMHO Romney has absolutely nothing to offer. This is why I will vote for Obama in November. I don't love Obama, but I see evidence that what he is doing is working, with Romney I see proposals that will absolutely not work, coupled with a platform that comes straight from the evil Christian church that drove me out of the Republican party. For the first time...I cannot even consider voting Republican. Obama was the first Democrat I have ever voted for...and at least in 2012 doesn't look like thats a trend that is going to end.

So, you have no response to any of the very real, rational financial questions. So...if you can't make the numbers look the way you wanted them to...they are bogus? Somehow...they weren't bogus when the YouTube guy in the video you posted used them...but they are bogus now. SAME budget data from the same source, he shows the source in his video. This IS the budget of the United States. You're saying its fraudulent? Where is your proof of that? Surely, the republicans would be all over the White House for submitting a fraudulent budget! You really are a joke Just admit you don't understand what we're talking about. But look at the numbers and figures I posted...and tell me how what Romney is proposing is going to be better than what Obama has proposed when it comes to deficit reduction. Seriously...I'd really like to know. You've said yourself' date=' what is important is getting this economy moving and reducing these deficits...I've shown its a very real possibility Romney's plan may do the opposite. Refute that! Check the facts on that, Obama has done nothing to roll back any Welfare legislation. Remember though...we're not talking about that, we're talking about the deficit. Please show me how my analysis of the budget data above is faulty. Show me how in light of this data Romney's financial plan makes any sense.

Lenore...stop spewing GOP rhetoric...be impartial...and think for yourself here for a second. Look at the chart the guy uses in the video, here it is: http://www.whitehous...sets/tables.pdf Really try and read and understand what I'm saying. Go to page 3. You will see that we had an 8.7% deficit in 2011, an 8.5% deficit in 2012. In 2013, the deficit shrinks to 5.5%, in 2014...3.9%.2018...2.7%. If you look at the top of the page you will see that spending is not decreasing...revenues are increasing. Why the distinct difference after this year? Rollout of the Affordable Care Act which reduces the deficit per the CBO, and expiration of the Bush tax cuts. If you go to the next 2 pages you will see laid out the effects of Deficit reduction. The expiration of high income tax cuts makes up the largest percentage of projected deficit reduction. Your assertion that this difference is because the Government is simply saying their spending will grow less is a fallacy. If you look at the chart you will see, Government spending for security and non security expenditures actually decreases significantly from 2012-2015. Of course they spend more...we all spend more year over year. If you look at what you spent in 1995...today you spend more. A fully loaded ES was $39k in 2003...it was $44k in 2010...in 2013 its $47k. Things get more expensive over time. You are attempting to oversimplify something that is truly very complex. Just look at the data and tell me, if Romney doesn't allow the tax cuts to expire...and in fact he cuts taxes further...understanding thats where the bulk of deficit reduction comes from...what will that do to the projected deficits? Will they go down from what is shown in this projection? No...they'll go up. This isn't about party vs party...this is about common sense. I'm a businessman...what Romney is selling doesn't make sense. Cutting taxes will explode the deficit, getting a bunch of lowly paid workers back to work paying taxes isn't going to make up for the huge revenue losses on huge incomes of the upper class. He says he's going to make cuts to compensate, going to balance the budget while INCREASING defense spending and in fact...creating a FLOOR, a MINIMUM % of GDP the Gov't must spend on defense...show me how...look at these numbers and tell me how he's going to balance the budget without taking from your Social Security and Medicare benefits with his plan. Its impossible. On top of that experience tells me none of those significant cuts are ever going to happen, but the tax cuts will because people are too stupid to realize the danger.Tax cuts and no big cuts equal...EXPLODING DEFICITS. Ron Paul thinks Romney's budget is reckless and a fantasy. Why do you think he refused to release his delegates? Good for him. You want the election to be about the economy...well there it is.

My point is...don't think Romney is going to do what you think he's going to do...he's not. If anything...I'm afraid he could make it worse with the tax cuts and such he's offering without the appropriate cuts...which I know he's not going to do because 1. He won't be re-elected, and one thing Romney has shown us is he will do or say anything to get elected, 2. Those cuts would really hurt the economy. Romney comes in and knee jerks in 2012...cuts taxes...cuts spending the way he would have to to balance the budget...people will feel the huge drawback in their entitlements and do what they did in 2010 and vote the dems control of congress...then he won't be able to do anything until he looses in 2016. In the meantime, a lot of people will suffer. Romney comes in and cuts taxes in 2012...doesn't cut spending, EXPLODES the deficit much how Bush did after the Clinton era, he may win re-election in 2016 if we have a boom similar to what we had in the mid 2000s...but ultimately thats going to be very detrimental to the economy. What we are doing now IS working, its working slowly but its working. Budget projections show the deficit is shrinking without even seeing the results of closing additional tax loopholes and improving unemployment (which IS improving, albeit slowly). You have to remember, what we are recovering from is specifically: 1. Tax cuts we could not afford 2. Unchecked deregulation that led to a market crash 3. Extremely expensive foreign wars that went unpaid for That really is how a budget surplus in 1999 turned into a 1.3T deficit in 2012. Basically Romney's plan is the same thing...more tax cuts we can't afford...removal of regulations...all thats missing is the war...and the day is young.

This is what you're missing though...thats not going to happen under a Romney administration either...in fact many of the policies he's promoting will make the economic issue worse by CUTTING taxes on top wage earners. He's not going to be able to make any serious cuts to the big ticket items that really cost us money, defense, entitlements. He cuts defense, the people who put him in office run him out. He cuts entitlements...we'll have mobs on our hands. What the fellow in the video fails to mention however is that if you look at the projected future on the budget table, the deficit is shrinking. If you look at the projections for 2014...the deficit is more than cut in half. Why is that? Well...one big reason is the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, since the budget projections take into account law as on the books when they are created. If you let those elapse for people in higher tax brackets, and you plugged loopholes for higher wage earners...you'd see a big impact on that deficit. Run the numbers in 2014 and see if congress "can't balance the budget if they shut down the Government" Now, figure it out if Romney comes in...extends the Bush tax cuts for everybody, LOWERS taxes for higher wage earners in the name of "small business", reduces corporate taxes and delivers nothing but token cuts to entitlements because he wants to get re-elected. THEN we're f@cked! See my point? Even if you reduced unemployment to zero...do you think the additional revenue from additional taxpayers makes up that difference? Do a little reading on here: http://www.cbpp.org/...fa=view&id=3658 Look at their analysis of the kinds of cuts needed to discretionary programs to achieve his promises when including the tax cuts he wants to make, and tell me if people are going to stand by when they watch 70% cuts to Medicare. He doesn't have the spine. So...figure out what the impact would be if he passed the tax cuts...and doesn't pass the spending cuts.

Welcome to the club Sammy, try posting in the LS400 section...

I don't even know that I would worry about it being a dealer. I'd go on TireRack and pick a good well rated installer in your area who has a Hunter Road Force balancer and call them. Road force balance costs $100, not a huge deal. These cars are really hard to balance because the balance has to be PERFECT or you'll feel a shimmy. As for the rotors, I'd be surprised if that was his problem since his car is new and the issue has been since new.

I would order a key online from www.sewellpartsonline.com. You can give them the VIN and they will cut the key and send it to you... I think you'll find $75 is a pretty good deal though. Is it a remote master key like this? http://lexus.sewellparts.com/accessories-catalog/Keys/ES300-2001/2806.html Sewell's price is $188. Even if its just a basic master key, their price is $85, and that doesn't include programming or cutting: http://lexus.sewellparts.com/accessories-catalog/Keys/ES300-2001/2776.html

Nope, no bluetooth audio or video streaming prior to 2010.

Take it somewhere else for a road force balance and see if that fixes it, if not buy new tires. Mine is 100% smooth at 80-90MPH.

I don't have to see it to know what it is. Its a for profit pseudo-documentary told from one point of view where all the "evidence" presented supports that point of view. Same for the Michael Moore movies, same for those 9/11 conspiracy movies. If its on HBO or something I might watch it, but to spend money to go see something in the theatre like that? Not interested. Take the super size me movie about fast food. Guess what...fast food is bad. There...didn't have to see the movie. Michael Moore's movie about healthcare...US healthcare sucks and everybody else's is better. There...didn't have to see the movie. I'm not sorry I feel that way LOL

You talk like this is some important piece of political oratory or an academic documentary...its a movie. A for profit movie. I am not interested in paying one penny to see some garbage like that.

Nobody cares...I've never seen an advertisement for it. And why would I be interested in where in the state of VA its showing? I don't live in VA.

No bluetooth audio streaming on your 2007, only 2010 and up... No problem, glad I helped with the tires!

You get what you pay for unfortunately...

Nobody else even knows this movie exists...we wouldn't if you hadn't posted the trailer.

They are. Don't feel for me, I'm doing fine. Great actually. My point about you not knowing anything about where I live was based on your absurd statement that Obama is popular in Northern VA because of the high levels of people on Government assistance, and by your statement that the suburbs of DC are slums because you were there once 50 years ago. As to what nc posted, not much there I don't agree with...

Only if it was a Holiday Inn EXPRESS ;)

I don't think the wealth of this nation is being destroyed, I think its being "re-distributed" away from the middle class to the upper class. If you compare what portion of the country is middle class, vs lower class, vs upper class to what it was 20-30 years ago, the middle class has shrunk, and the upper class has grown. Costs of healthcare and education spiraling out of control continues to put pressure on the middle class. This is a car forum, so lets discuss cars. Look at sales performance of luxury brands vs mainstream brands. Luxury brands are doing great, mainstream brands not so much. Why do you think that is? I think it has gotten harder for "ordinary" people to create wealth in this country, and easier for people who have influence and power to do so. Reasons for that are unchecked deregulation of private industry and business. Now, I think we've overreacted some with the re-regulation since the recession, but the solution is not unchecked deregulation. And the reason has nothing to do with !Removed! marriage, stem cell research or abortion, and just because we have economic difficulties we need to deal with doesn't mean we can just throw everything else to the wind. I think that globally we are dealing with serious economic issues, and I frankly don't think theres anything the Republicans are going to come in and do thats going to make a difference. What I do know is that the religious right will set us back decades when it comes to social issues if they get back in charge. Since I see no clear plan on their side to fix the economic issues that makes any more sense than what they have on the other side...I see no reason to put the social issues at risk. We will survive this, as we always have.

Its not a view...its sensationalist BS...both Michael Moore's depiction of Bush and this depiction of Obama. I no more believe that the Bush family is related to Osama Bin Laden than I do the sensationalist paranoia in the movie trailer you posted. The fact that we're in a struggle economically has nothing to with all of that BS about Obama's background, etc. We started down the road we're on far before Obama was even a factor. I think we've established that you know nothing about me or about where I live, I'm in the real estate industry, you don't think I know how big a struggle it is in other parts of the country? I have a position of influence at the largest privately owned real estate firm in the country, we do business in places other than the DC Metro area. My wife hasn't had a full time job since 2008...I get it. I do also know that is has improved and is improving. Got a long way to go but it is improving. What background or knowledge do you have that gives you greater insight into the economy than me?

LMAO! Absolutely laughing my !Removed! off...at you. Now I'm trying to "confuse" voters with "other issues". All issues are issues! Just because they are issues you don't care about doesn't mean they aren't issues. We can do both you know. Then build a bunker and ride out the "social calamity". Sit in a corner and mutter to yourself. The rest of us are just going to go live our lives. Easy to say when you're not !Removed!. You already have all the rights you could ever want. Tell that to your republican buddies. If they would run on a platform of job creation and the economy, and make a pledge not to enact new laws or reverse laws that are already enacted about social issues like !Removed! marriage, roe v wade, etc, maybe I could vote for them. They can't do that though, because the christian right controls their party. Its in their platform, redefinition of rape, overturning of Roe v Wade, constitutional ban on !Removed! marriage. It IS a priority for those of YOUR party. Correct, but in order to be free to choose our direction in life, we cannot allow laws to be passed for the sole purpose of them combatting fictitious christian sin. If we let the right have their way, the only people who will be free to truly choose their own direction in life will be those who choose a christian way of life.

You're a trip LOL. Michael Moore puts out a movie...he's a peice of trash...someone else puts out a movie with the same tone and the same specious "facts" twisted together but with a conclusion you agree with and its somehow "the greatest form of information". What a joke.

I didnt say I don't believe in God, I said I don't like religion. I don't care if people talk about God, or if the word God is on the money or in the pledge. I don't care. What I do care about is when the bible is used as a litmus test for law. When that happens, then religion is being forced upon people who don't believe, and thats wrong. What it says on the money isn't the issue, !Removed! marriage being outlawed because its a "sin" is. And that's just one example. When I was amid I went to a Carholic private elementary school (even though we weren't Catholic) and then I went into the public school system in the 5th grade. When iwas in private school we had mass, and we had Christmas parties, etc, but we also had a Jewish sader, we had examples of other religions because we did have students from other religions. In public school, we had to pretend nothing religious existed. It was "winter break", etc. I think that's sad. Nowadays it's even worse. I think if the Christian faith as a whole was less judgemental and less outspoken about its contempt for people who are different from that they define as the norm, you'd find people would stop trying to delete God from everything. They're fighting back against the entitlement, self righteousness, and arrogance they perceive the Christian faith as having in this country. As for letting the social stuff go by e wayside, we cannot do that. The stakes are too high.

I'm sorry if you were offended, but I think religion is bull*BLEEP*. Sorry, thats how I feel. If it just existed for the benefit of its followers I would feel differently, but it doesn't. When you try and tell me how I should live my life because of your religion, then its a different story altogether. The gloves come off, and I quite frankly think the religious right deserves what they get because they brought it on themselves. I'll try to be a little more backhanded with my slander of your views in the future, as you are.

The purpose of marriage is not only to procreate. Animals don't marry, they don't feel love, they don't have self awareness. Animals are not people. Plenty of married people never procreate...plenty of married people cannot procreate even if they wanted to. Are their marriages less valid? In any event, like I said you and your church can believe in whatever type of marriage you want to believe in. If you don't want to marry a man...don't. If you don't want to recognize a married same s*x couple...don't. If you don't want to let !Removed! people in your club...don't. The point is this government belongs to EVERYBODY, not just you and people who share your beliefs. Your beliefs frankly don't matter when it comes to legislating the law. Everybody needs to stop casting judgement on other people. You decry class warfare, what about religious warfare? What about gender warfare? What about sexual orientation warfare? How can you not understand the hypocrisy of making a statement like "everyone should stop worrying about what other people make" and making a statement that you worry about who other people marry?!?! Your hypocrisy is maddening. Last time I checked a string of percentage signs, ampersands, dollar signs and hashtags aren't profanity. I have a right to think and express whatever I want to express about whatever I want. Thats how freedom of speech works. You can say you think my political ideology is bull*BLEEP*, that my view on business and economics is bull*BLEEP*, but I can't say I think your religious ideology is bull*BLEEP*? Since I am not religious, I take more offense at the attack upon my political ideology and my views on business and economics far more personally than I take any attack on my religion. So, I suppose I'll apologize to you when you apologize to me.