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Where to Cut

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by Salty, Dec 19, 2012.

  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    According to this debt clock, the US owes over 15 trillion dollars. It increases about 3.85 billion a DAY! In one year, that would be an additional 1.5 billion dollars.

    It has been said that if we took ALLl the income from the TOP 2% ( remember it used to be 1%) that amount would run the govt for less than a month.

    The only reasonable solution is budget cuts.
    Here are two sites about the budget

    1) US govt budget

    2) OMB

    Specifically, from what lines of the budge would you cut and by how much.
    Note: its easy to say cut Congress pay (or fill in the blank) - but take a look and see what part of the budget that actually is
     
  2. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    With apologies Salty I am going to jump in ahead of Crabby. The only place for significant cuts are Defense, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

    National Defense is the primary task of the Federal Government and utmost caution should be used in cutting Defense. That is the reason the Sequester was and is so stupid and is not even being discussed at this time. Of course the liar in chief disavowed any responsibility during the campaign!

    I have stated before on this Forum that cuts must be made in both Social Security and Medicare. There are two ways that significant cuts could be made: Increasing age of eligibility and means testing.

    I would start by extending the age for eligibility to age 70 over a 10 year period, starting now. As for means testing I realize that this is unfair but then no rational person would argue that life is fair. I am not sure at what retirement income people would become ineligible because of the variability in cost of living throughout the country. Also it is likely that Medicare should provide coverage for catastrophic illness to a higher level of income.

    As for other sources for cuts the best is probably the elimination of the Education Department. They waste ~ $70 billion each year and have done nothing but screw up education!
     
  3. mont974x4

    mont974x4 New Member

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    Obama has weakened us enough. Defense cuts should be off the table.

    Cut all foreign aid. Throw the UN out of the US
    Establish a 15% flat tax and cut all deductions and credits
    Reform medicare and SS allowing for choice in privatization for all citizens
     
  4. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    Reform of Medicare and SS would be relatively straightforward once you got past the politics. Medicaid is a different story. I picture Medicaid as a live amorphous mass; it sort of keeps on growing regardless of what you do, Sort of like some of the stuff in the old horror movies!
     
  5. Robert Snow

    Robert Snow New Member

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    We could stand some defense cuts.
     
  6. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Go back 40 years there were 18 active Active divisions - there are now 10 active Divisions. That is a 55% cut.

    Okay, what un-constitutional budget expenditures would you recommend.
     
  7. General Mung Beans

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    40 years ago, the US was in the middle of a Cold War. And considering our military is far more high-tech simply expressing costs in terms of number of divisions is not accurate-otherwise the Chinese would be spending far more money than us on the military.
     
  8. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Same question: Okay, what un-constitutional budget expenditures would you recommend to cut
     
  9. mont974x4

    mont974x4 New Member

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    defense cuts have proven to be fatal. Plus defense is actually Constitutional... most of our spending is not.
     
  10. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    I believe we should build up our Military but just bring them all home.
     
  11. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    Doing away with the federal tax deduction for payment of state income taxes would generate hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue.
     
  12. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    The best way to control Federal Government spending is to repeal the 16th Amendment.
     
  13. Mexdeaf

    Mexdeaf New Member

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    I like mont974x4's ideas but I'd set a 10% flat tax. And we need to figure out how to do something about those welfare mommas and disappearing daddies - I think that is a bigger problem than the "old folks" are.
     
  14. Oldtimer

    Oldtimer New Member

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    Cut the corruption in the Department of Defense. Millions spent to build equipment that was not requested nor needed. Paying $100's for hammers and $1,000's for toilet seats. Cut anything that would be considered to be a lavish lifestyle, by the average man wearing a uniform, among those at the top of military leadership. Then, use those savings, where they are actually needed to defend this country.

    I can't say, yet, to cut all foreign aid, as there may be some exceptions, that still have merit. As the first step, cut the vast majority of it. Why are we borrowing money from China and then sending some back as aid to China? Cut all the federal agencies and inter-agencies, with untold staff numbers administering "foreign aid".

    Throw the UN out of the US and leave it regardless of where it establishes a new home. Additonally, leave any and all other international organizations where we foot the majority of the tab and yield to the demands of others. Cut the adminstrative overhead associated with being members of these organizations.

    Establish a 10% flat tax on gross income of individuals, and net income of business (gross sales less cost of goods and freight) in excess of, say, $20,000. No exceptions, no credits, no grants, no deductions. When, established, would include a mandate with a deadline to phase out taxes based on income. This nation would return to the revenue stream intended by the founding fathers.

    Additionally, shut down the IRS, as it exists today. With a one page tax code, a simple one page tax return, and today's database capability, few people (in comparison to current) are needed to administer. And, especially, if states collect all income taxes and forward to the fed, the fed portion.

    Reform SS and Medicare. First, cut out all the fraud and waste, associated with Medicare. Prision time mandated for anyone convicted. Includes doctors, administrators and hospital staff directly responsible for filing false claims. Additonally, institutions would face fines that greatly exceed revenue received from fraud.

    Cut out all the fraud associated with Social Security. Able bodied people claiming disability. (There is a difference between those truly physically or mentally disabled and the deadbeats claiming the same.) If convicted, the guilty would perform, tax dollar saving, community service to repay dollars received, plus stiff fines for committing the crime.

    Next, phase out federal government's involvement with all aspects of "social security". Put it back where it belongs. With the states, counties, and individuals. I remember when the "county home" was torn down and replaced by a factory that went out of business. Also know how long I've been opposed to the feds not allowing me to chose how those deductions from my checks were invested.

    Shut down the Department of Education. This is a responsibilty of states and local communities. Put it back where it belongs.

    Shut down the Enviromental Protection Agency for the same reason.

    Get out of the business of supporting the Performing Arts. Was it the intention of our founding fathers that we be a nation of "culture"? How many of us average Joes in this country have the opportunity to don tie and tails and join the elite for an evening at the Kennedy Center.

    Announced: September 19, 2012 http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2012/09/federal_grant_to_support_kenne.html
    This is just a few items and thoughts that come to mind this morning.
     
    #14 Oldtimer, Dec 20, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 20, 2012
  15. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    It matters not how much merit any foreign aid has. We cannot afford it.
     
  16. Oldtimer

    Oldtimer New Member

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    I'm thinking in terms of aid for disasters and food for people in war/famine in 3rd world countries. Surely we can afford to send rice to the starving in Africa, for example. That was the "merit" that I had in mind. Nothing more.
     
  17. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Couldn't agree more about the welfare mommas and disappearing daddies

    How about boosting the federal gasoline tax on gasoline?? Like say, a penny/gallon??? Fair tax all around-----you don't want to pay the feds---slack off on driving!!
     
  18. Mexdeaf

    Mexdeaf New Member

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    I'd go for a dime. But I offer these suggestions only with the caveat that there be reduced spending in Washington itself- staff cuts and a 7% (progressing to 10% each year) pay cut for ALL elected officials and staff- until they get this thing under control.
     
  19. Oldtimer

    Oldtimer New Member

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    How about not boosting the federal gasoline tax. While DEMANDING passing a balanced budget for the first time in x years.

    Give the feds more highway dollars and they'll plant more pretty flowers in the medians. They'll build more sound barriers along side exclusive neighborhoods. They'll hire even more folks propping on shovels while one man in the hole works.

    Increasing the gas tax will take even more out of the pockets of those who have to drive to work and/or drive to make a living. Because job opportunities are so low in my area, many are having to drive at least 2 hours per day to get to sources of employment. Don't tell them to move. To take the loss in home values, family and friends, etc. in order to put more money in Uncle Sam's pocket. Money he will use plant flowers that the highway mowing contractors will cut down. And/or pay other contractors to "garden".
     
  20. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    Then the rest of us could stop subsidizing the out of control spending of liberals in states like California.
     
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