While I certainly believe there are areas in our budget where we can reduce spending, I would also argue that our population continues to expand which means that our services will need to expand as well. Some of these are services that I may or may not use but would be of benefit for my community as a whole. Population expansion would mean that we could not continue to fund the same enterprises without increasing our revenue.
Are we getting something out of this all-encompassing trip?
Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned...
I AM MINE
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hedonist
standing on the edge of forever Posts: 24,524
It is through taxes that a government obtains revenue. This is basic math.
Basic math - well, basic common sense - also dictates not spending more than your income.
Right, it's hard to believe that Clinton handed Bush a debt-free balanced budget, isn't it?
(Is that true anyway?)
I'm not sure about that.
But, I'm not gonna pin anything on any one president; too easy and beside my point.
To me, it's the duty of an administration to be responsible to and for its citizens. I honestly wouldn't have a problem paying a bit more in taxes if I knew everything was being done to eliminate certain spending, and to reduce it in other areas.
There is something we, here in the Military/Industrial Complex, call 'Welfare For The Working'. Government contracts.
Yup. We get paid by Uncle Sam to build what Uncle Sam wants us to build. And it keeps a lot of us employed.
...
Now, because of that, it is not an easy task to cut the Defense Budget. The complex is... complex. There are a lot of people out there that would be affected by cuts... which lead to layoffs.
Take the F-35 program for example. Multi-purpose fighter aircraft that is capable of air superiority, carrier based operations and close air support using vertical take-off and landing capabilities. That is complex... and expensive.
Cancel it. You do not only affect prime contractor Lockheed/Martin, you affect all of the hundreds of sub-contractors in just about every state who are building parts for it.
Landing gear, for example. Carrier landings are basically controlled flat crashes. The gear has to be sturdy, beefy, heavy. While the landing gear for an Air Force fighter has to be light for speed and manuverability and there is less strain on them when landing on nice long concrete strips.
There are a couple of companies sub-contracted by Lockheed/Martin to build and supply landing gear. Those companies buy connecting parts (nutz n boltz and valves and tubing and wheels and tires) to build the gear. No F-35... no landing gear... no nutz n boltz... no jobs.
Now, imagine all of the other components required to build this plane... plastics companies, avionics systems, hydraulics, electronics, engines, etc... it adds up to a lot of jobs... all over the country.
That is why Congress has a hard time cutting defense... there are companies all over ther place building parts. It no longer affects a concentrated region, such as Southern California in the 60s - 80s. Those major contractors know they needed to spread out to all states and many congressional districts... with Congressional Representatives looking out for their state... their district... their people... those jobs.
That is why it is tough to cut defense spending... and why it is called, 'Welfare For The Working'.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
It is through taxes that a government obtains revenue. This is basic math.
Basic math - well, basic common sense - also dictates not spending more than your income.
Right, it's hard to believe that Clinton handed Bush a debt-free balanced budget, isn't it?
(Is that true anyway?)
Congrats on your non-wavering support of the federal government with Obama!
Why do you call people who don't want to pay more taxes stupid? I think it is stupid to cheerlead a government who wants to take more of the money you earn.
Clinton didn't hand Bush a debt-free balance budget; he handed him a balanced budget there was still a gigantic national debt. Bush handed Obama a budget with 8 trillion national debt and Obama's Dem controlled Senate hasn't passed any budget at all, balanced or unbalanced. And "all by his lonesome, took a credit card from the bank of China" and doubled the national debt. Is Obama immoral and unpatriotic like he accused Bush of being? This is what the next generation and the generation after that is going to deal with.
You...all of you...need to rub your eyes or something because this support of Obama is weird. Forget how cool he is and how sexy is voice is the guy is the President of the US. He's not an actor or a rock star he is the executive of the federal government.
Why in the world would anyone empower the fucking federal government to take more control of our lives?
This shit is super scary.
All the people who came and come to America come for something different than they are leaving.
By the way...a trillion is more than all the stars in the sky. Remember that when these politicians throw "a trillion" around like it's just a pile of money.
By the way...a trillion is more than all the stars in the sky. Remember that when these politicians throw "a trillion" around like it's just a pile of money.
...
Actually.. there are an estimated 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars out there.
..
But, you are right... to politicians, $1,000,000,000,000.00 is bantied about like nothing.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
Come on it's impossible to ever guess how many stars are out there. How ever far the most powerful telescope can see isn't the edge. Even if it was some edge there could be infinite edges, right?
Come on it's impossible to ever guess how many stars are out there. How ever far the most powerful telescope can see isn't the edge. Even if it was some edge there could be infinite edges, right?
I was referring to the Milky Way.
...
Estimated 100,000,000,000 stars (give or take 5) in our Galaxy.
That's 100 billion (or the equivilent to the allocated booze and hooker budget for Congress).
...
As for the edge of the Universe... who knows? According to Strings Theory... there are 11 dimensional universes and we exist in one of the 11 universes in the multiverse.
In that case, the scientific term is, 'They be a whole shitload o' stars out there'.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
yeah, a trillion is incomprehensible. 100 billion stars in the sky is incomprehensible. 10x the stars in our galaxy is a trillion.
Four years ago Obama got 1 trillion bucks to make shit happen and the US economy is still limping along.
This is what bugs me (I got bugs in my head) Obama could have done so much cool stuff and he didn't do anything that will be lasting. FDR built all kinds of cool shit that is still around today.
I have a plan to fix the 15 trillion dollar debt...
What if Obama said "we are only going to use American oil" the cost would drop to about 50 cents a gallon for gas.
Then he could say "but we are all going to work together...we are going to keep paying 4 bucks a gallon and all the difference is going to the debt"
That would work. Then the next gen could go socialist if they want to.
I found my place......and it's alright
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unsung
I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487
yeah, a trillion is incomprehensible. 100 billion stars in the sky is incomprehensible. 10x the stars in our galaxy is a trillion.
Four years ago Obama got 1 trillion bucks to make shit happen and the US economy is still limping along.
This is what bugs me (I got bugs in my head) Obama could have done so much cool stuff and he didn't do anything that will be lasting. FDR built all kinds of cool shit that is still around today.
I have a plan to fix the 15 trillion dollar debt...
What if Obama said "we are only going to use American oil" the cost would drop to about 50 cents a gallon for gas.
Then he could say "but we are all going to work together...we are going to keep paying 4 bucks a gallon and all the difference is going to the debt"
That would work. Then the next gen could go socialist if they want to.
This would be a great idea if we didn't consume vastly more oil than we currently produce. Currently, we produce about 8 million barrels per day and consume about 20 million barrels per day.
Are we getting something out of this all-encompassing trip?
Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned...
Seriously, there is no way for the country to move forward without reducing spending. Why is it that no one sees this?!
...
If you could... where would you cut?
Now... you need to consider the consequences. Cutting the spending means you are dumping people into the ranks of the unemployed. How do you deal with that?
...
Sorry... it is beyond this forums capabilities to display. Remember, Mandatory Spending is Mandatory... think of it as your home mortgage, when you cut household spending, you cannot cut your mortgage. http://www.foreignassistance.gov/images/FederalSpending_piechart.JPG
Here is the 2012 descretionary spending (Mandatory Spending is not included because you cannot cut Mandatory Spending.. you have to reform it)...
Now... Cut away!!!!
...
Here are some numbers:
Discretionary spending in the FY 2013 budget was slashed to $1.264 trillion. The request for military spending was lowered to $851 billion. This includes the Defense Department, Overseas Contingency Operations and other defense-related departments like Homeland Security and the State Department.
The non-security budget request was cut to only $410 billion. All departments were cut or stayed about the same, except for the Department of Education, which increased to $69.8 billion. The largest departments were cut the most:
•Health and Human Services, reduced more than 10% to $71.7 billion.
•Housing and Urban Development, also reduced 10% to $35.3 billion.
•The Justice Department, which was slashed 33% to $17.9 billion.
Spending was cut to reduce the budget by $1.2 trillion. This was mandated by the Congressional deficit reduction committee to end the crisis over raising the debt ceiling that erupted in the summer of 2011.(Source: OMB, FY 2013 Budget, Table S-12)
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
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unsung
I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487
Well, it is quite obvious that the military spending needs to be slashed and not simply a cut. I'd bring every troop home on Day One if I were President, I'd quite building $1B embassies like the one in Baghdad. We have 900 bases around the world, most would be closed.
I'd end all foreign aid. We could participate in humanitarian missions supplying food and medicine but the automatic payments would stop.
I'd end federal level redundant departments that should be left up to the states. We don't need federal level Dept of Education, Dept of this, Dept of that. They are unconstitutional.
I'd end subsidies that are currently given to corporate farms, wind power, NASCAR, Hollywood, etc. If they can't compete and survive on their own then we don't need them. I would focus on supporting small, independent, organic farmers and do it at the state level.
SS would be something people can opt out of. Medicare needs and overhaul.
I'd end the giant mess that FEMA is. That's another State level program. I'd end national flood insurance, the government needs to get out of it. People that build on an oceanfront that have their house destroyed by a hurricane should not have people of Montana pay for the rebuild. They need to find private insurance, of which is very much impossible since the federal government took it over. Let the market compete.
All federally owned land would be auctioned off. Let the States buy it, or let private people own it.
The EPA would also be cut, it is a job killer.
I'd end the TSA. I'd end the Dept of Homeland Security. Private companies can be responsible for airport security.
Basically if we go to what the Constitution says of what the general government's responsibilities are we'd be much better off. The first couple of years would have a slow down but long term it would allow the people to proper.
Oh, Congress would do their job for what the average wage in America is. Roughly $40k is what I've heard. They want to suspend reality while they come up with some miracle country-saving compromise and then act heroic when they do. Most people fail to understand that Congress is only saving us from Congress. I also use the word "saving" loosely. The are the cause of 99% of our problems.
While I certainly believe there are areas in our budget where we can reduce spending, I would also argue that our population continues to expand which means that our services will need to expand as well. Some of these are services that I may or may not use but would be of benefit for my community as a whole. Population expansion would mean that we could not continue to fund the same enterprises without increasing our revenue.
Population expansion should mean more taxes being collected. The government should determine the percentage it needs to collect from each person to allow enough revenue to "govern" them and collect that and that only.
My feeling is that government has completely overstepped its bounds and is trying to do too much. I feel it needs to cut spending and I'm opposed to giving more money to it.
The only people we should try to get even with...
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
Well, it is quite obvious that the military spending needs to be slashed and not simply a cut. I'd bring every troop home on Day One if I were President, I'd quite building $1B embassies like the one in Baghdad. We have 900 bases around the world, most would be closed.
I'd end all foreign aid. We could participate in humanitarian missions supplying food and medicine but the automatic payments would stop.
I'd end federal level redundant departments that should be left up to the states. We don't need federal level Dept of Education, Dept of this, Dept of that. They are unconstitutional.
I'd end subsidies that are currently given to corporate farms, wind power, NASCAR, Hollywood, etc. If they can't compete and survive on their own then we don't need them. I would focus on supporting small, independent, organic farmers and do it at the state level.
SS would be something people can opt out of. Medicare needs and overhaul.
I'd end the giant mess that FEMA is. That's another State level program. I'd end national flood insurance, the government needs to get out of it. People that build on an oceanfront that have their house destroyed by a hurricane should not have people of Montana pay for the rebuild. They need to find private insurance, of which is very much impossible since the federal government took it over. Let the market compete.
All federally owned land would be auctioned off. Let the States buy it, or let private people own it.
The EPA would also be cut, it is a job killer.
I'd end the TSA. I'd end the Dept of Homeland Security. Private companies can be responsible for airport security.
Basically if we go to what the Constitution says of what the general government's responsibilities are we'd be much better off. The first couple of years would have a slow down but long term it would allow the people to proper.
Oh, Congress would do their job for what the average wage in America is. Roughly $40k is what I've heard. They want to suspend reality while they come up with some miracle country-saving compromise and then act heroic when they do. Most people fail to understand that Congress is only saving us from Congress. I also use the word "saving" loosely. The are the cause of 99% of our problems.
When are you running for office? I'd vote for you.
I would also make being a member of Congress a volunteer job. These people can raise millions to get elected, surely they can figure out how to get by without us paying for all their extravagances.
The only people we should try to get even with...
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
I know you're following the Ron Paul doctrine and all, but isn't saying congress is the cause of 99% of our problems a little simplistic?
maybe not 99% but 90%, the other 9% i lay on the judiciary...
I think you and I likely think a lot alike and I actually view Congress as evil, but we the people are the ones allowing this to happen by voting them into office over and over.
The only people we should try to get even with...
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
I think you and I likely think a lot alike and I actually view Congress as evil, but we the people are the ones allowing this to happen by voting them into office over and over.
...
See. We agree.
I am not a fan of our Congress. But, I don't lay all of the blame on them... I lay most of the responsibility on the people who hire and re-hire them. We... The People... are getting the Congress we deserve. We punch a card and that is it. We never check on what they are doing... we never check on who is paying them... we never do anything... except complain... to each other... blaming 'their' guy.
Then, we punch another card in another election... for the same fucking guy... and the cycle continues.
...
Congress is doing what politicians want... a dumb electorate. A stupid, t.v. watching electorate that either votes for the guy that is in their Political Party... or does not vote at all.
We are getting exactly what we deserve.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
Well, it is quite obvious that the military spending needs to be slashed and not simply a cut. I'd bring every troop home on Day One if I were President, I'd quite building $1B embassies like the one in Baghdad. We have 900 bases around the world, most would be closed.
I'd end the giant mess that FEMA is. That's another State level program. I'd end national flood insurance, the government needs to get out of it. People that build on an oceanfront that have their house destroyed by a hurricane should not have people of Montana pay for the rebuild. They need to find private insurance, of which is very much impossible since the federal government took it over. Let the market compete.
The EPA would also be cut, it is a job killer.
...
I'll address these three first.
Defense: Close all overseas bases and bring all 175,000 or so troops home... to where? Spread across the domestic bases? They are still on the payroll... or are you going to reduce the troop levels, too.
What about procurement? A lot of the money spent is on weapons systems including the maintenence of current systems. Keep? Cut? How much? Where?
FEMA: You are of the thinking that New Jersey should bail out New Jersey, right? Why should Montana have to pay, right? That maybe we should not build in areas where there are risks of natural disasters... if so, then the private Insurance companies will cover that. Okay... you are in the "Fuck the other 49 States" side of the ledger... check. We are the Independent States of America.
E.P.A.: So... it is okay for companies to dump contaminants into the ground water systems or rivers, lakes or oceans because it is 'Good for Business'... check.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
Basic math - well, basic common sense - also dictates not spending more than your income.
Right, it's hard to believe that Clinton handed Bush a debt-free balanced budget, isn't it?
(Is that true anyway?)
Congrats on your non-wavering support of the federal government with Obama!
Why do you call people who don't want to pay more taxes stupid? I think it is stupid to cheerlead a government who wants to take more of the money you earn.
Clinton didn't hand Bush a debt-free balance budget; he handed him a balanced budget there was still a gigantic national debt. Bush handed Obama a budget with 8 trillion national debt and Obama's Dem controlled Senate hasn't passed any budget at all, balanced or unbalanced. And "all by his lonesome, took a credit card from the bank of China" and doubled the national debt. Is Obama immoral and unpatriotic like he accused Bush of being? This is what the next generation and the generation after that is going to deal with.
You...all of you...need to rub your eyes or something because this support of Obama is weird. Forget how cool he is and how sexy is voice is the guy is the President of the US. He's not an actor or a rock star he is the executive of the federal government.
Why in the world would anyone empower the fucking federal government to take more control of our lives?
This shit is super scary.
All the people who came and come to America come for something different than they are leaving.
My "unwavering support of Obama". hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahaha
I don't support Obama.
I'm a silly accountant.
Everybody knows that people pay taxes for a reason. It's to pay for the federal programs, state programs, county & city programs,....
....schools, highways, Libraries, defesnse, health & social programs, exploration & science and regulatory systyems, justice system, post office, laws, snow removal, research, liberty adhesives, .....
...... things that make everything run......
no. It's NOT stupid to cheerlead (or reasonably acknowledge the obvious need for) a government that needs the citizens (participants) input and income to run. This is basic math and common sense.
Stupid comes in when this is denied is all.
Oh and the sexy and rock star bit is new to me too. Never heard of him having a sexy voice. I'll have to pay attention now that you have enlightened me, thank you. :twisted:
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unsung
I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487
...
I'll address these three first.
Defense: Close all overseas bases and bring all 175,000 or so troops home... to where? Spread across the domestic bases? They are still on the payroll... or are you going to reduce the troop levels, too.
What about procurement? A lot of the money spent is on weapons systems including the maintenence of current systems. Keep? Cut? How much? Where?
FEMA: You are of the thinking that New Jersey should bail out New Jersey, right? Why should Montana have to pay, right? That maybe we should not build in areas where there are risks of natural disasters... if so, then the private Insurance companies will cover that. Okay... you are in the "Fuck the other 49 States" side of the ledger... check. We are the Independent States of America.
E.P.A.: So... it is okay for companies to dump contaminants into the ground water systems or rivers, lakes or oceans because it is 'Good for Business'... check.
Yeah, I'd bring them home. It's really that simple. If we need to reduce the size of the military to streamline it for DEFENSE then so be it. I'm tired of being on offense and we can't afford it.
The country was originally set up so that each state would be independent and be able to function on its' own. There was a law passed in the 50's IIRC, can't remember the name off hand, but it basically gave the general government control over flood insurance. That eliminated private insurance. If someone builds in a flood area why should others keep being forced to pay for the rebuild? That's theft. Yeah, NJ can take care of NJ. Maybe if the federal overlords didn't have their hands in everyone's pockets it would be much easier for NJ to do so.
I did not say eliminate the EPA altogether. Each state would have an EPA. Eliminate the federal level EPA it is redundant, and lately has been shown to be very corrupt. States that encroach on another would be subject to lawsuits from the state being violated.
Comments
yay!
Right, it's hard to believe that Clinton handed Bush a debt-free balanced budget, isn't it?
(Is that true anyway?)
Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned...
I AM MINE
But, I'm not gonna pin anything on any one president; too easy and beside my point.
To me, it's the duty of an administration to be responsible to and for its citizens. I honestly wouldn't have a problem paying a bit more in taxes if I knew everything was being done to eliminate certain spending, and to reduce it in other areas.
Yup. We get paid by Uncle Sam to build what Uncle Sam wants us to build. And it keeps a lot of us employed.
...
Now, because of that, it is not an easy task to cut the Defense Budget. The complex is... complex. There are a lot of people out there that would be affected by cuts... which lead to layoffs.
Take the F-35 program for example. Multi-purpose fighter aircraft that is capable of air superiority, carrier based operations and close air support using vertical take-off and landing capabilities. That is complex... and expensive.
Cancel it. You do not only affect prime contractor Lockheed/Martin, you affect all of the hundreds of sub-contractors in just about every state who are building parts for it.
Landing gear, for example. Carrier landings are basically controlled flat crashes. The gear has to be sturdy, beefy, heavy. While the landing gear for an Air Force fighter has to be light for speed and manuverability and there is less strain on them when landing on nice long concrete strips.
There are a couple of companies sub-contracted by Lockheed/Martin to build and supply landing gear. Those companies buy connecting parts (nutz n boltz and valves and tubing and wheels and tires) to build the gear. No F-35... no landing gear... no nutz n boltz... no jobs.
Now, imagine all of the other components required to build this plane... plastics companies, avionics systems, hydraulics, electronics, engines, etc... it adds up to a lot of jobs... all over the country.
That is why Congress has a hard time cutting defense... there are companies all over ther place building parts. It no longer affects a concentrated region, such as Southern California in the 60s - 80s. Those major contractors know they needed to spread out to all states and many congressional districts... with Congressional Representatives looking out for their state... their district... their people... those jobs.
That is why it is tough to cut defense spending... and why it is called, 'Welfare For The Working'.
Hail, Hail!!!
FICA tax is paid on the first $113,700 of wages you earn, so all wage earners are subject to the increase.
Medicare tax of 1.45% is paid on all wages earned, and once your wages from an employer exceed $200,000, you pay an extra .9% on said wages.
Congrats on your non-wavering support of the federal government with Obama!
Why do you call people who don't want to pay more taxes stupid? I think it is stupid to cheerlead a government who wants to take more of the money you earn.
Clinton didn't hand Bush a debt-free balance budget; he handed him a balanced budget there was still a gigantic national debt. Bush handed Obama a budget with 8 trillion national debt and Obama's Dem controlled Senate hasn't passed any budget at all, balanced or unbalanced. And "all by his lonesome, took a credit card from the bank of China" and doubled the national debt. Is Obama immoral and unpatriotic like he accused Bush of being? This is what the next generation and the generation after that is going to deal with.
You...all of you...need to rub your eyes or something because this support of Obama is weird. Forget how cool he is and how sexy is voice is the guy is the President of the US. He's not an actor or a rock star he is the executive of the federal government.
Why in the world would anyone empower the fucking federal government to take more control of our lives?
This shit is super scary.
All the people who came and come to America come for something different than they are leaving.
Actually.. there are an estimated 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars out there.
..
But, you are right... to politicians, $1,000,000,000,000.00 is bantied about like nothing.
Hail, Hail!!!
Come on it's impossible to ever guess how many stars are out there. How ever far the most powerful telescope can see isn't the edge. Even if it was some edge there could be infinite edges, right?
I was referring to the Milky Way.
Estimated 100,000,000,000 stars (give or take 5) in our Galaxy.
That's 100 billion (or the equivilent to the allocated booze and hooker budget for Congress).
...
As for the edge of the Universe... who knows? According to Strings Theory... there are 11 dimensional universes and we exist in one of the 11 universes in the multiverse.
In that case, the scientific term is, 'They be a whole shitload o' stars out there'.
Hail, Hail!!!
Four years ago Obama got 1 trillion bucks to make shit happen and the US economy is still limping along.
This is what bugs me (I got bugs in my head) Obama could have done so much cool stuff and he didn't do anything that will be lasting. FDR built all kinds of cool shit that is still around today.
I have a plan to fix the 15 trillion dollar debt...
What if Obama said "we are only going to use American oil" the cost would drop to about 50 cents a gallon for gas.
Then he could say "but we are all going to work together...we are going to keep paying 4 bucks a gallon and all the difference is going to the debt"
That would work. Then the next gen could go socialist if they want to.
Seriously, there is no way for the country to move forward without reducing spending. Why is it that no one sees this?!
This would be a great idea if we didn't consume vastly more oil than we currently produce. Currently, we produce about 8 million barrels per day and consume about 20 million barrels per day.
Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned...
I AM MINE
If you could... where would you cut?
Now... you need to consider the consequences. Cutting the spending means you are dumping people into the ranks of the unemployed. How do you deal with that?
...
Sorry... it is beyond this forums capabilities to display. Remember, Mandatory Spending is Mandatory... think of it as your home mortgage, when you cut household spending, you cannot cut your mortgage.
http://www.foreignassistance.gov/images/FederalSpending_piechart.JPG
Here is the 2012 descretionary spending (Mandatory Spending is not included because you cannot cut Mandatory Spending.. you have to reform it)...
Now... Cut away!!!!
...
Here are some numbers:
Discretionary spending in the FY 2013 budget was slashed to $1.264 trillion. The request for military spending was lowered to $851 billion. This includes the Defense Department, Overseas Contingency Operations and other defense-related departments like Homeland Security and the State Department.
The non-security budget request was cut to only $410 billion. All departments were cut or stayed about the same, except for the Department of Education, which increased to $69.8 billion. The largest departments were cut the most:
•Health and Human Services, reduced more than 10% to $71.7 billion.
•Housing and Urban Development, also reduced 10% to $35.3 billion.
•The Justice Department, which was slashed 33% to $17.9 billion.
Spending was cut to reduce the budget by $1.2 trillion. This was mandated by the Congressional deficit reduction committee to end the crisis over raising the debt ceiling that erupted in the summer of 2011.(Source: OMB, FY 2013 Budget, Table S-12)
Hail, Hail!!!
I'd end all foreign aid. We could participate in humanitarian missions supplying food and medicine but the automatic payments would stop.
I'd end federal level redundant departments that should be left up to the states. We don't need federal level Dept of Education, Dept of this, Dept of that. They are unconstitutional.
I'd end subsidies that are currently given to corporate farms, wind power, NASCAR, Hollywood, etc. If they can't compete and survive on their own then we don't need them. I would focus on supporting small, independent, organic farmers and do it at the state level.
SS would be something people can opt out of. Medicare needs and overhaul.
I'd end the giant mess that FEMA is. That's another State level program. I'd end national flood insurance, the government needs to get out of it. People that build on an oceanfront that have their house destroyed by a hurricane should not have people of Montana pay for the rebuild. They need to find private insurance, of which is very much impossible since the federal government took it over. Let the market compete.
All federally owned land would be auctioned off. Let the States buy it, or let private people own it.
The EPA would also be cut, it is a job killer.
I'd end the TSA. I'd end the Dept of Homeland Security. Private companies can be responsible for airport security.
Basically if we go to what the Constitution says of what the general government's responsibilities are we'd be much better off. The first couple of years would have a slow down but long term it would allow the people to proper.
Oh, Congress would do their job for what the average wage in America is. Roughly $40k is what I've heard. They want to suspend reality while they come up with some miracle country-saving compromise and then act heroic when they do. Most people fail to understand that Congress is only saving us from Congress. I also use the word "saving" loosely. The are the cause of 99% of our problems.
Population expansion should mean more taxes being collected. The government should determine the percentage it needs to collect from each person to allow enough revenue to "govern" them and collect that and that only.
My feeling is that government has completely overstepped its bounds and is trying to do too much. I feel it needs to cut spending and I'm opposed to giving more money to it.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
When are you running for office? I'd vote for you.
I would also make being a member of Congress a volunteer job. These people can raise millions to get elected, surely they can figure out how to get by without us paying for all their extravagances.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
I know you're following the Ron Paul doctrine and all, but isn't saying congress is the cause of 99% of our problems a little simplistic?
maybe not 99% but 90%, the other 9% i lay on the judiciary...
I think you and I likely think a lot alike and I actually view Congress as evil, but we the people are the ones allowing this to happen by voting them into office over and over.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
I think it was Adlai Stevenson who said something along the lines of "In a democracy people usually get the kind of government they deserve."
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
See. We agree.
I am not a fan of our Congress. But, I don't lay all of the blame on them... I lay most of the responsibility on the people who hire and re-hire them. We... The People... are getting the Congress we deserve. We punch a card and that is it. We never check on what they are doing... we never check on who is paying them... we never do anything... except complain... to each other... blaming 'their' guy.
Then, we punch another card in another election... for the same fucking guy... and the cycle continues.
...
Congress is doing what politicians want... a dumb electorate. A stupid, t.v. watching electorate that either votes for the guy that is in their Political Party... or does not vote at all.
We are getting exactly what we deserve.
Hail, Hail!!!
nice!!! never heard that but i agree, pains me to type that
I'll address these three first.
Defense: Close all overseas bases and bring all 175,000 or so troops home... to where? Spread across the domestic bases? They are still on the payroll... or are you going to reduce the troop levels, too.
What about procurement? A lot of the money spent is on weapons systems including the maintenence of current systems. Keep? Cut? How much? Where?
FEMA: You are of the thinking that New Jersey should bail out New Jersey, right? Why should Montana have to pay, right? That maybe we should not build in areas where there are risks of natural disasters... if so, then the private Insurance companies will cover that. Okay... you are in the "Fuck the other 49 States" side of the ledger... check. We are the Independent States of America.
E.P.A.: So... it is okay for companies to dump contaminants into the ground water systems or rivers, lakes or oceans because it is 'Good for Business'... check.
Hail, Hail!!!
My "unwavering support of Obama". hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahaha
I don't support Obama.
I'm a silly accountant.
Everybody knows that people pay taxes for a reason. It's to pay for the federal programs, state programs, county & city programs,....
....schools, highways, Libraries, defesnse, health & social programs, exploration & science and regulatory systyems, justice system, post office, laws, snow removal, research, liberty adhesives, .....
...... things that make everything run......
no. It's NOT stupid to cheerlead (or reasonably acknowledge the obvious need for) a government that needs the citizens (participants) input and income to run. This is basic math and common sense.
Stupid comes in when this is denied is all.
Oh and the sexy and rock star bit is new to me too. Never heard of him having a sexy voice. I'll have to pay attention now that you have enlightened me, thank you. :twisted:
Yeah, I'd bring them home. It's really that simple. If we need to reduce the size of the military to streamline it for DEFENSE then so be it. I'm tired of being on offense and we can't afford it.
The country was originally set up so that each state would be independent and be able to function on its' own. There was a law passed in the 50's IIRC, can't remember the name off hand, but it basically gave the general government control over flood insurance. That eliminated private insurance. If someone builds in a flood area why should others keep being forced to pay for the rebuild? That's theft. Yeah, NJ can take care of NJ. Maybe if the federal overlords didn't have their hands in everyone's pockets it would be much easier for NJ to do so.
I did not say eliminate the EPA altogether. Each state would have an EPA. Eliminate the federal level EPA it is redundant, and lately has been shown to be very corrupt. States that encroach on another would be subject to lawsuits from the state being violated.
Basically follow the Constitution.