The New Mr. America: Bankrupt, Diseased and Running Out of Options

Very good article. The thing is, with the phoney fiscal cliff talks going on now, the elements they are talking about cutting or revenues barely put a dent in the real debt.

The cuts and the revenue are going to have to be drastic. We have gotten this way by self indulgence over decades. Three areas to start cutting are:

1. Staying out of world conflicts where our national interests are not threatened. That would save a trillion dollars per year alone. This would also include getting out of the UN and kicking them off our soil. Also in the scope of this is giving foreign aid to Muslim countries, or countries that are not our true allies.

2. Make people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s work if they are able.

3. Stop the use of any benefits from tax dollars to illegal aliens.

Aside from that, other things need to start immediately. Everyone was told decades ago that Social Security was not a sole source of retirement income, that it is a supplement. Not many listened. If a person has collected more than they paid in plus interest, cut them off. It is not the responsibility of the American tax payer to subsidize those who did not provide for themselves.

For people my age (60), raise the full retirement age to 67. For those already on it, leave them alone. One could still collect at 62, but at a lower rate. I am not for means testing Social Security. Why should someone who made their own way be penalized?

Make the President and Congressmen subject to the same retirement as other federal employees. Do not pay Congress their salary if they fail to pass a budget.

Abolish the EPA, OSHA, and the Department of Education. That is a state and local function.

Many other ideas no doubt would be better, but this would be a good start.

 

Agree, with a few qualifiers.

Item #2 - Include the age 50 crowd.

Item #4 - (I'm 67) Instead of interest, it should be Return on Investment. If just half of those 40+ years of dollars taken from my check had had been invested, instead of being used by the government for its agenda, I wouldn't have any worries today. :BangHead: What we were able to add to the government's take, over the years, for our retirement earned an 11% ROI year. What was the ROI on the portion held by the government?

Last Item - Add a lot more to your good beginning list. I'll add one more. Funding the Arts. Patrons of the "arts" should foot the tab for their appreciation of same.