This Week With Christiane Amanpour - Great American Debate II 12-18-2011

Rep. Paul Ryan, George Will, Rep. Barney Frank, and Robert Reich.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ABC News
• Christiane Amanpour
• Rep. Paul Ryan
• George Will
• Rep. Barney Frank
• Robert Reich
• poverty
• Great Recession
• long-term unemployment
• laid off
• layoffs
• unemployed
• unemployment
• jobs

[SvenBenson]

I'm confused; taxing the rich to have the money given right back to .001% in the form of CEO bailouts? The theft is how only the elites have access to Free money at the Federal Reserve; why don't we focus on the criminals?

[lonelytrixter]

You get big money out of politics by passing laws limiting the amount of money that can be donated to political campaigns, especially from large corporations and unions. Also there should be greater transparency in where 3rd party groups in the US like PACs get there money and what they spend it on. Also having a shorter campaign season, like say under 6 or 8 months would greatly reduce the amount of money which needs to be spent. An election cycle should not last 2 years.

[lonelytrixter]

Getting rid of tax loopholes is an area where reducing government complexity works, but going after tax evasion is an area where more gov't resources are needed. It is incredibly ironic then that Republicans seem to want to keep cutting the budget for the IRS or when they reduced the manpower at the part of the FBI responsible for investigating financial fraud.

[lonelytrixter]

Contrary to what Will is stating the tax burden on the middle and working class increased mainly because of Republican income tax policy which primarily benefited those at the top and increased the tax burden on those lower down on the ladder. Also tax evasion and loopholes have became ever more rampant.

[wedgejt]

No one wants to admit it - the elderly are rich in this country - and they keep getting more and more entitlements. Cut Medicare, delay social security, reduce taxes, increase spend on education.....

[wedgejt]

Inequality in and of itself is a normal state. We are individuals - and individuals are different - socialism is itslef a false promise - and Europe shows it is unsustainable.

[wangsta25]

Europe's got a BIG SOCIALIST government and their income inequality is a lot lower than ours

[MEpianist]

@itissomeoneelse Will is fucking useless. He was destroyed in this debate on every point.

[NewtsNews]

* 2011 U6 unemployment rate: 16.5% (rate used during 1930’s depression)

* 2011 Monthly US Population Growth: 150k

* 2011 Total Active College Class: 20.4 Million

* 2011 Total Unemployed: 24 Million

* 2011 Total Jobs Created: 1 Million

1 million new jobs in 2011, how is that dropping unemployment numbers?

It doesn’t take a mathematician to clearly see we have an issue and discontinuing unemployment is heartless and irresponsible.

[itissomeoneelse]

This is good to see in the Media. Reich was a star of the Clinton era and still shines here. Ryan is clearly a man of the future of conservative economics. Will continues to speak truth, even when its not what you want to hear. And Frank, lets hope he is replaced with a Gay GOPAC visionary.