There’s austerity in Europe, all right — of the taxing sort
The austerity debate is back, with American liberals pointing to shrinking European economies as evidence against the wisdom of cutting government spending here.
Typical is this argument from a column by the New York Times’ Paul Krugman last month: “Europe has had several years of experience with harsh austerity programs, and the results are exactly what students of history told you would happen: such programs push depressed economies even deeper into depression.”
Indeed, nine of the European Union’s 27 member-countries were in technical recession by the end of 2011 or the first quarter of 2012 (not all countries report first-quarter data at the same time).
There’s just one problem: There have been no such austerity programs, at least not of the type Krugman and other liberals warn against.
In five of the nine recessionary countries, governments cut spending in 2011. In four, they didn’t. There were another three European countries in which public spending fell without triggering a recession.
Britain, considered a poster child for the hazards of austerity, hasn’t cut spending at all. It did, however, raise the top marginal tax rate: by 10 percentage points in 2010 and an additional 1 point last year.
In fact, the EU’s recessionary countries were just as likely to have raised taxes in 2011 as to have cut spending.
The hardest-hit countries — Greece, Portugal and Spain — did both. These countries are the only ones in Europe that can truthfully say they’ve embraced austerity. Unless, that is, you count Iceland, which returned to robust growth last year despite cutting spending by more than 5 percent.
Yet, in both Portugal and Spain, the tax hikes were larger, percentage-wise, than the spending cuts. So, who’s to say the changes in spending, rather than taxes, are to blame?
What about Ireland, you may ask. Hasn’t the famed “Celtic Tiger” of the 1990s and early 2000s been declawed during the past few years?
Ireland has dipped into recession, and it did cut spending by a whopping 27 percent last year. Of course, it increased spending by an even more whopping 33 percent in 2010 — leaving public expenditures just slightly below the levels in the previous couple of years.
What has changed significantly in Ireland are tax rates. Spending was 1 percent lower in 2011 than in 2008, but the top marginal tax rate — the rate applied to an earner’s next euro of income — rose 17 percent. Again, why should we accept it’s the spending, not the taxing, that has pushed Ireland’s economy down?
One more thing you won’t hear from the anti-austerity crowd is that the tax hikes have not had their intended effects. Britain, for instance, is lowering its top tax rate again after no more than two-fifths of the projected new revenues materialized. All that the higher rate achieved, treasury chief George Osborne noted, was for high-earning Britons to move their money around and change their behavior to avoid the higher rates.
These distortions — which themselves could explain some of the U.K. economy’s troubles — weren’t worth the new revenues that were realized, Osborne explained.
That’s one more thing for Americans to keep in mind as they hear about the policies we should or shouldn’t import from Europe.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 5th, 2012
7:34 am
I’m repeating this section of Kyle’s column to keep it simple for the liberal on here. Focus on these words alone:
“Indeed, nine of the European Union’s 27 member-countries were in technical recession by the end of 2011 or the first quarter of 2012 (not all countries report first-quarter data at the same time).
There’s just one problem: There have been no such austerity programs, at least not of the type Krugman and other liberals warn against.
In five of the nine recessionary countries, governments cut spending in 2011. In four, they didn’t. There were another three European countries in which public spending fell without triggering a recession.
Britain, considered a poster child for the hazards of austerity, hasn’t cut spending at all. It did, however, raise the top marginal tax rate: by 10 percentage points in 2010 and an additional 1 point last year.”
This is to point out a small bit of reality you libs just don’t get. The truism: “You are entitled to your opinion, but not your facts” applies directly here.
What I posted above are Kyle’s FACTS. If you click on the links provided, you will see that his spending numbers are correct. That being the case, you can argue your case regarding your BELIEFS about austerity all day long, but you may not do so when looking at countries that did not reduce spending.
I know you’ll try, but that will just be continuing the intellectual dishonesty many of you libs are known for on this blog.
The Gov has no Money!
May 5th, 2012
7:39 am
I work about 50-60 hours a week and fully believe I should keep every penny of what I earn. I understand some taxes are necessary for the country’s defense and infrastructure. It has been proven over and over that state and federal governments waste a tremendous amount of money. How can anyone feel that raising taxes to take more away from earners and give to wasters is a good plan??
Michael H. Smith
May 5th, 2012
7:46 am
I would suggest we stop calling any program to cut debts as “austerity programs”.
It is NOT WE Dusty, as in WE conservatives, who are employing a “PROPAGANDA” message meant to instill the fear of losing something, into the hearts and minds of people by repeatedly using the term “AUSTERITY PROGRAM” .
However, I do share your hope that Kyle and others on the right begin to wise-up as you have, by correctly identifying and exposing (though not calling it out by NAME) what is a pure leftwing PROPAGANDA tactic taken from Edward Bernays and his uncle Sigmund Freud that is now being used by the left to distort reality and have people embrace what they really should fear and how much they shall lose because of it when governments’ tax more and spend more.
Good time for anyone who wants to learn the wicked ways of the Marxist left to get some insights on Public Relations or “PROPAGANDA”: The father of it and how he and the Germans in World War I used it to achieve the mass manipulation of populations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays
Now with Ten Percent Fewer Calories
May 5th, 2012
7:51 am
So Kyle’s argument is that there are known unknowns that are just as likely to cause a known known therefore the known known are not known to cause the known known. Brilliant lack of analysis behind your non-conclusion. And how do I know you even wrote that Kyle because I’ve seen similar work from people at places like Heartland.
AmVet
May 5th, 2012
7:57 am
The Marxist left?
Hysterical. Sixth grade gibberish, but hysterical anyway.
Given that you Republirubes are going to nominate for president an effete, northeastern, liberal, flip flopping socialist – the Father of Socialized Medicine, no less.
Excuse me, an effete, northeastern, severely conservative, flip flopping socialist.
LOL!
Enjoy your handiwork and prepare for your second straight McCaining…
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 5th, 2012
7:59 am
Actually, Ten Percent, Kyle’s argument is, first and foremost, that the constant nattering of you liberals regarding “austerity” programs causing Europe’s latest recession are bunk, as no such austerity programs actually exist.
In others words, you’re either dumber than a sack of hammers, or you’re lying. Or both.
There are no other conclusions to be made based on the facts presented.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 5th, 2012
8:00 am
All the libtards’ blather, misdirection, projection, deflection, ignorance of facts, and anger won’t change a few simple facts.
Unemployment is higher under Obozo than it ever was under our President Bush.
Deficits are higher under Obozo than they ever were under our President Bush.
More people are on the dole under Obozo than they ever were under our President Bush.
Your Idiot Klown has failed. All his “change” is for the worse.
It’s time to vote like an American, not like a Democrat.
Michael H. Smith
May 5th, 2012
8:00 am
Doesn’t take long for the hit Marxist dog to yelp!
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 5th, 2012
8:01 am
Sometimes austerity is brought on by a lack of other people’s money to spend.
Michael H. Smith
May 5th, 2012
8:07 am
Sometimes austerity is brought on by a lack of other people’s money to spend.
C’mon lbb, Comrade Woodrow Wilson solved that problem by creating the Federal Reserve.
We got paper, we got ink, so we got money!
Aren’t these Marxist clever?
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 5th, 2012
8:10 am
It’s a fair point, MHS. Marxists don’t care about the value of money because their loser parasite base has so little of it.
Now with Ten Percent Fewer Calories
May 5th, 2012
8:15 am
Actually, TB, Kyle offered no data or analysis to support any claim regarding the cause of austerity and for you to claim otherwise makes you a liar. Are you a liar or a fool, TB. Or both.
Michael H. Smith
May 5th, 2012
8:16 am
Ray Stevens – Obama Budget Plan
Mad Magazine couldn’t say it any better: What we worry, we got ObamaMoney!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6TcpfBHlbs
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 5th, 2012
8:25 am
Kyle offered no data
——————-
Looks like someone doesn’t understand the meaning of a hyperlink on the word “data” in Kyle’s post.
Your local community college probably has a short course explaining the whole intertubes thing, Ten Percent. You should check it out.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 5th, 2012
8:26 am
Actually, Ten Percent, Kyle offered plenty of data. You just had to click on the links he provided. That you cannot understand the difference between data, analysis and opinion is your weakness and not Kyle’s problem.
The bottom-line, Ten Percent, is that you may not make a claim of austerity where none exists. That is Kyle’s point. Austerity is spending less than you did in previous years, not spending less than the increase you had planned. No such austerity occurred, especially in the UK, where all the liberals focus is on right now.
Too bad your focus ended up showing you guys to be completely bereft of any intellectual honesty – again.
Del
May 5th, 2012
8:29 am
You can sum up the Krugmanites in one word, stupid. You can’t call them ignorant because in today’s world there’s too many sources for information that allows intelligent people to form their own studied opinions. They’re stupid because they blindly follow a charlatan like Krugman because he’s a far left winger and for them that’s the only credential necessary.
AmVet
May 5th, 2012
8:30 am
Smith, you obviously have no idea what Marxism even is! LOL.
But that does not deter you and your brain dead “leaders” like the disgraced, run out of the army, Alan West, from misusing such parroted terms!
And outside of the lunatic fringe, aka the GOP, no one over the age of 12 would even dare use the words like you boobs do.
But good luck with your ongoing, dented McCarthyism!
Other than the fact that you bigots and ignoramuses (hat tip Clarence Darrow) can’t really get any traction going in your would-be modern day witch hunts, it seems to be working really swell for you ostriches!
And say hello to 1952 for the rest of us, won’t you?!!
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 5th, 2012
8:34 am
Marxism is doing what Obozo did to GM’s former owners.
Nothing like taking tens of billions in taxpayer money and calling it a turnaround!
AmVet
May 5th, 2012
8:46 am
No wonder you neocons hate Darwin.
Sixty years on from McCarthy’s House UnAmerican Activities Committee staged stupidity and you have not evolved one iota. You Republicans are as ignorant and willfully stupid today as you were then.
Sixty years!
But take heart, fake conservatives!
In spite of your fanatical attempts attempts to keep us the most scientifically ignorant democracy on the planet, there is one country out 32 that is behind us, vis a vis percentage of citizens who believe in evolution.
Turkey.
Kudos for dragging down the rest of the nation, global coolers!
You’re doing a heckuva job…
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 5th, 2012
8:49 am
“like the disgraced, run out of the army, Alan West”
Please provide proof that Alan West did not leave the Army under his own terms, or just STFU, AmVet.
Just saying..
May 5th, 2012
8:51 am
md
May 4th, 2012
8:01 pm: “Funny…..it took wide open capitalism to bring China out of the dark ages…….seems to be working just fine for them.”
Wide open capitalism? In China? Really?
Who knew?
When Mitt starts in again on China’s government-influenced pricing on goods sold to the US, can we count on you to correct him?
Michael H. Smith
May 5th, 2012
8:55 am
Couldn’t take it could you?
Yeah as usual it didn’t take much to zing you into a left wing rant on McCarthyism.
Anyone above your brainwashed intelligence and that of the left, who troubles themselves to look at what Karl Marx espoused and compare it to what has taken place in this country over the past 120 years can easily see why YOU and those like you are easily called Marxist without mistake.
Heavy progressive taxation, wealth and income redistribution:
From each according to their ability to each according to their need.
The Marx Mantra
Fascist control of the capitalist economy: Not one thing escapes government regulation.
Why do those on the left call this country a Democracy instead of a Republic?
Madison in the federalist paper number ten made it known that he and the founders meant to AVOID having democracy by extreme means, because in a Democracy there are no rights of property, just like there are no rights of property under Marxism.
Say hello to these Marxist facts and more.
A good look at the Manifesto will reveal many parallels with what we have in this country today by some degree or by measured amount.
md
May 5th, 2012
9:01 am
“It’s amazing how columnists can reduce economic theory to one or two variables, use mixed measurements (a percentage increase in tax rate is not the same effect as a change in spending as percentage of total budget), and be smarter than economists who work with models using dozens of variables shown reliable in understanding the many, inter-related, effects within an economy. You guys do the public a disservice — the equivalent of giving social promotions to students who did not learn what they need to know.”
Just wow!!
I guess that explains why there are thousands of economists with varying opinions and the fact that many are based on ideology………if it was that easy, why are there competing theories??
Michael H. Smith
May 5th, 2012
9:01 am
TEN PLANKS OF THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO
Could this be happening in America? If so, how?
Our “elected representatives” have passed laws implementing these anti-freedom concepts. The communists have achieved a de facto FEDERAL SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT in America.
In 1848 Karl Marx and Frederick Engels wrote a book outlining a political ideology, titled “The Communist Manifesto”. Marxism’s basic theme is that the proletariat (the “exploited” working class of a capitalistic society) will suffer from alienation and will rise up against the “bourgeoisie” (the middle class) and overthrow the system of “capitalism.” After a brief period of rule by “the dictatorship of the proletariat” the classless society of communism would emerge. In his Manifesto Marx described the following ten steps as necessary steps to be taken to destroy a free enterprise society!! Notice how many of these conditions, foreign to the principles that America was founded upon, have now, in 1997, been realized by the concerted efforts of socialist activists? Remember, government interference in your daily life and business is intrusion and deprivation of our liberties!
First Plank: Abolition of property in land and the application of all rents of land to public purposes. (Zoning – Model ordinances proposed by Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover widely adopted. Supreme Court ruled “zoning” to be “constitutional” in 1921. Private owners of property required to get permission from government relative to the use of their property. Federally owned lands are leased for grazing, mining, timber usages, the fees being paid into the U.S. Treasury.)
Second Plank: A heavy progressive or graduated incometax. (Corporate Tax Act of 1909. The 16th Amendment, allegedly ratified in 1913. The Revenue Act of 1913, section 2, Income Tax. These laws have been purposely misapplied against American citizens to this day.)
Third Plank: Abolition of all rights of inheritance. (Partially accomplished by enactment of various state and federal “estate tax” laws taxing the “privilege” of transfering property after death and gift before death.)
Fourth Plank: CONFISCATION OF THE PROPERTY OF ALL EMIGRANTS AND REBELS. (The confiscation of property and persecution of those critical – “rebels” – of government policies and actions, frequently accomplished by prosecuting them in a courtroom drama on charges of violations of non-existing administrative or regulatory laws.)
Fifth Plank: Centralization of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly. (The Federal Reserve Bank, 1913- -the system of privately-owned Federal Reserve banks which maintain a monopoly on the valueless debt “money” in circulation.)
Sixth Plank: Centralization of the means of communications and transportation in the hands of the State. (Federal Radio Commission, 1927; Federal Communications Commission, 1934; Air Commerce Act of 1926; Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938; Federal Aviation Agency, 1958; becoming part of the Department of Transportation in 1966; Federal Highway Act of 1916 (federal funds made available to States for highway construction); Interstate Highway System, 1944 (funding began 1956); Interstate Commerce Commission given authority by Congress to regulate trucking and carriers on inland waterways, 1935-40; Department of Transportation, 1966.)
Seventh Plank: Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State, the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan. (Depart-ment of Agriculture, 1862; Agriculture Adjustment Act of 1933 — farmers will receive government aid if and only if they relinquish control of farming activities; Tennessee Valley Authority, 1933 with the Hoover Dam completed in 1936.)
Eighth Plank: Equal liability of all to labor. Establishment of industrial armies especially for agriculture. (First labor unions, known as federations, appeared in 1820. National Labor Union established 1866. American Federation of Labor established 1886. Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 placed railways under federal regulation. Department of Labor, 1913. Labor-management negotiations sanctioned under Railway Labor Act of 1926. Civil Works Administration, 1933. National Labor Relations Act of 1935, stated purpose to free inter-state commerce from disruptive strikes by eliminating the cause of the strike. Works Progress Administration 1935. Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, mandated 40-hour work week and time-and-a-half for overtime, set “minimum wage” scale. Civil Rights Act of 1964, effectively the equal liability of all to labor.)
Ninth Plank: Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries, gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equitable distribution of population over the country. (Food processing companies, with the co-operation of the Farmers Home Administration foreclosures, are buying up farms and creating “conglomerates.”)
Tenth Plank: Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production. (Gradual shift from private education to publicly funded began in the Northern States, early 1800’s. 1887: federal money (unconstitutionally) began funding specialized education. Smith-Lever Act of 1914, vocational education; Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 and other relief acts of the 1930’s. Federal school lunch program of 1935; National School Lunch Act of 1946. National Defense Education Act of 1958, a reaction to Russia’s Sputnik satellite demonstration, provided grants to education’s specialties. Federal school aid law passed, 1965, greatly enlarged federal role in education, “head-start” programs, textbooks, library books.
http://www.criminalgovernment.com/docs/planks.html
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
May 5th, 2012
9:01 am
In spite of your fanatical attempts attempts to keep us the most scientifically ignorant democracy on the planet, there is one country out 32 that is behind us, vis a vis percentage of citizens who believe in evolution.
Evolution….the concept that liberals evolved from the do-do bird…
AmVet
May 5th, 2012
9:03 am
“Why do those on the left call this country a Democracy instead of a Republic?”
Because though you neocons desperately want to believe it, the the two terms – democracy and republic – are not mutually exclusive.
The United States of America is a representative democracy/constitutional republic.
Did you sleep through the ninth grade?
AmVet
May 5th, 2012
9:04 am
Prince, you’d be right at home in Ankara!
Good job…
Zebra
May 5th, 2012
9:06 am
Cocaine George and his supply side snake-oil created 70 trillion dollars of unregulated derivatives. 70 Trillion dollars. 70 TRILLION DOLLARS! That is more money than there is on the planet. People were not only betting their own house would not burn down-they were also betting your’s would.
Where is the Limbaugh bumper sticker opinion on that? Maybe “Even Grover can’t cut 70 trillion!”
How about ” I made commissions from writing 70 trillion dollars worth of worthless paper, don’t you dare tax ME!”
Gotta love the Limbaugh right, apologists for the stars!
md
May 5th, 2012
9:10 am
“Wide open capitalism? In China? Really?
Who knew?
When Mitt starts in again on China’s government-influenced pricing on goods sold to the US, can we count on you to correct him?”
Compared to yesterday’s China…….yes, wide open………..as wide open as it gets under just about any gov’t……..in case you haven’t noticed, even we manipulate our pricing…….currently printing boat loads of money……remember.
hryder
May 5th, 2012
9:13 am
When one actually earns something of value and puts aside a portion for later use with out incurring debt, one does not have a problem unless there is a catastrophe. Envy, greed, stupidity, laziness, and advertising have created almost all economic problems. Also, the buying of votes for political power. Logic and common sense would solve these problems along with saying, “you want it, work for it.”. No cellphones for you unless you have earned funds yourself for the required payments. VOTE OUT ALL INCUMBENT ELECTED OFFICE HOLDERS IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS!
Michael H. Smith
May 5th, 2012
9:14 am
Because though you neocons desperately want to believe it, the the two terms – democracy and republic – are not mutually exclusive.
Oh but yes they are mutually exclusive, completely independent and totally distinct from one another in there separate meanings: A Democracy is ruled by the majority. A Republic is ruled by law. In a Democracy the minorities have no rights or protection from the rule of the majority. In a Republic everyone has rights that are protected by the rule of law even from the power of a majority.
And you want to talk about intelligence and not knowing… PUHLEASE!
the red herring
May 5th, 2012
9:15 am
You can’t spend your way out of debt. I had a girlfriend that tried that once and it was a disaster.
America has to live within her means and that doesn’t mean austerity. It does mean that you spend wisely and you get the “i don’t want to work–i’ll wait on my govt. check” class off the backs of the working and taxpaying citizens. All you have to do is look at the number of people getting food stamps now compared to when Obama took office to see that even with his stimulus and bailout mentality his programs are simply not working. You can’t over regulate and mandate to businesses and expect them to thrive.
Karen
May 5th, 2012
9:19 am
Lil Barry must have been born with a silver sppon in his mouth or his head up his a——–
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
May 5th, 2012
9:19 am
Prince, you’d be right at home in Ankara!
Sheep maybe, never a Turkey…
The Anti-Kyle and Compnay
May 5th, 2012
9:22 am
Ooooooooooooooooo these righwingers make me soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo MAD! :angry:
md
May 5th, 2012
9:23 am
“401(k)s values in this country just reached a 12 year high, despite the recent difficultly in the economy, and employer’s are not matching funds like they use to.”
And the irony is they got there through austerity………..
Corps slashed everything in sight including big chunks of their workforce to achieve it…..not to mention that fear (not actual financials) also played a big part in the fall……
AmVet
May 5th, 2012
9:24 am
“Oh but yes they are mutually exclusive”
You could not pass a ninth grade civics class. Seriously.
My gawd, what the hell has happened to you Republicans???
You are a complete joke.
Zebra
May 5th, 2012
9:25 am
“You can’t spend your way out of debt.”
I just love me some bumper sticker politics. What else you got?
How about “We must fight them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here?” Nah, even we the people would never buy something that stupid.
Michael H. Smith
May 5th, 2012
9:31 am
Those old corporations foregoing the benefits of paying a 35% corporate tax rate here in the U.S. just to struggle with the austerity of offshore banking and outsourcing in the name of historically higher profits than ever before.
Yeah the irony of it all… and to think what it took for these two major political parties to do it.
ragnar danneskjold
May 5th, 2012
9:32 am
Leftists are often wrong but never in doubt. Good article. Not that irrefutable facts marshaled logically will persuade our brothers on the left.
MarkV
May 5th, 2012
9:32 am
Kyle: ”Ireland has dipped into recession, and it did cut spending by a whopping 27 percent last year. Of course, it increased spending by an even more whopping 33 percent in 2010”
Budget 2010 cuts €4bn in public spending
http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1209/budget2010_main.html
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
May 5th, 2012
9:33 am
Karen
May 5th, 2012
9:19 am
Lil Barry must have been born with a silver sppon in his mouth or his head up his a——–
If you are referring to the president I would say good call, except that would be dog meat in his mouth!
Michael H.Smith
May 5th, 2012
9:33 am
You could not pass a ninth grade civics class. Seriously.
My gawd, what the hell has happened to you Republicans???
You are a complete joke.
Pathetic!
Michael H. Smith
May 5th, 2012
9:45 am
Every time I read the mindless crap these leftwingers dump on this blog it makes me all the more thankful Georgia is taking one step closer to achieving “School Choice”.
When you have idiots so stupid that they do not understand or even begin to recognize the exclusive difference between a Democracy and a Republic, it is truly evidence… no make that it serves as “judicial notice” of the failed government monopolized education system that exist in this country.
md
May 5th, 2012
9:54 am
MarkV…..a 2009 proposed budget does not equal 2010 actual spending…..if one where to look at the actuals, Ireland had a deficit of about 19B in 2010……
Love me some Reagan
May 5th, 2012
9:56 am
“or just STFU, AmVet.”
Didn’t you claim you were 55 yrs old?
Love me some Reagan
May 5th, 2012
9:59 am
West was charged with violating articles 128 (assault) and 134 (general article) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. During a hearing held as part of an Article 32 investigation in November 2003, West stated, “I know the method I used was not right, but I wanted to take care of my soldiers.”[10] The charges were ultimately referred to an Article 15 proceeding rather than court-martial, at which West was fined $5,000.[9] LTC West accepted the judgment and retired with full benefits in the summer of 2004. Asked if he would act differently under similar circumstances again, West testified, “If it’s about the lives of my soldiers at stake, I’d go through hell with a gasoline can.”[10]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_West_%28politician%29
AmVet
May 5th, 2012
10:01 am
OK,Mike, I’ll let you publicly embarrass yourself some more.
Post one verifiable piece of evidence that proves a representative democracy like the United States of America is mutually exclusive from a constitutional republic like the United States of America.
Just one.
And because it appears you don’t even know the definition of the term mutually exclusive:
mutually exclusive – adjective
1. unable to be both true at the same time, contradictory
And be careful.
Going back to the eight grade hangs in the balance here!
Too funny…
Love me some Reagan
May 5th, 2012
10:03 am
I repeat……….. “……. accepted the judgment….”
The charges were ultimately referred to an Article 15 proceeding rather than court-martial, at which West was fined $5,000.[9] LTC West accepted the judgment and retired with full benefits in the summer of 2004.
That is not retiring on your own free will, but you are more than welcome to huff and puff all you like
AmVet
May 5th, 2012
10:04 am
Didn’t you claim you were 55 yrs old?
No. As always, you would be wrong about that meat.
Though you obviously obsess over me (weirdo), you are so busy flailing around in the shallow end of the gene pool, you can’t even get your facts straight.
Now go back to Stormfront.org, where you belong!