try your hand at balancing the nat'l budget (fun, interactive link) (elect, program)
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That was easy. Too bad our politicians lack the will to do anything about spending.
In short, we are doomed to default on our bonds. This may not be such a bad thing, as it will ensure from that point on, fiscal responsibility and the death of burdensome social programs.
Spend away- insolvency here we come! I am sure that those on the far left assume that insolvency will result in a far more left leaning government, when the exact opposite will happen. When our credit rating goes bad after default, few will buy "risky" t bills for a defaulted nation, ensuring little if any deficit spending. Further, social security, which has "borrowed" money in the form of t-bills will go bust.
Will foreign nations and companies be fearful of investing in America? Is that already happening?
I started it, but it was silly: on the very first question, why can we only choose to cut half of foreign aid? We should eliminate 100% of foreign aid, immediately. What are we doing giving away money to other nations when we are $14 trillion in debt, running a $1.4 trillion deficit this year alone, and with no end to the deficits and increasing debt in sight?
And why not stop both stupid foreign wars immediately? What do we hope to get out of continuing to spend trillions with no goals or benefits?
This web site proves the problem: people are thinking on such a tiny scale, when the Federal Government needs to be reduced by 95% for our nation and economy to recover. No wonder we continue to fly off the cliff at light-speed.
I think with more specifics I could do a better job in terms of spending cuts and probably break even for 2030 (I don't love that 48% of my totals come from tax increases).
However, I probably wouldn't be re-elected if I endorsed this plan!!
Our numbers were very close and yes I was surprised by the numbers.
Casper
I think with more specifics I could do a better job in terms of spending cuts and probably break even for 2030 (I don't love that 48% of my totals come from tax increases).
However, I probably wouldn't be re-elected if I endorsed this plan!!
Anyone who wants to fix the budget won't get reelected. People want things without paying for them. Plain and simple.
I went through and by undoing the Bush era I was able to cover a large majority of the shortfall.
Go back to Clinton level taxes and military spending. Then the cuts or tax hikes aren't nearly as significant.
Raising the age of social security could work, but I know plenty of people who's bodies are failing them before age 70 through no fault of their own, they can't afford healthcare, or appropriate food. What should we do for them??? Put them out to pasture???
Cutting spending just adds to unemployed. Makes a lot of sense considering how well the private sector is already paying its workers as well as the overabundance of private sector jobs (insert sarcasm here). However across the board pay cuts except fire and police could be justified. Also cutting yearly pay raises for teachers could help, but you'll just see more hardworking teachers leave.
If you're going to make something leaner, you cut out the fat, and there isn't much fat left except for one area: tax cuts for the rich.
Somthing I'd like to see, is what our budget would look like if we were to go back to pre Reagan tax and spending levels. Lets not forget that that idiot actor cut taxes drastically AND ramped up military spending.......... not quite fiscally sound.
It's a rigged game.
1. Dollar bills are not dollars.
2. By law, the only way to INCREASE the number of dollar bills is to INCREASE the debt. (See: Title 12 USC Sec. 411)
3. "Balancing" the budget (no deficit) will FREEZE the number of dollar bills. (See Fed M1, M2 for scary data).
4. Without a growing sum of current monies, there will be an economic downturn, not unlike the last time (1999-2000 dot.com collapse).
"A majority of the people of the United States have lived all of their lives under emergency rule. For 40 years (1933-1973), freedoms and governmental procedures guaranteed by the Constitution have, in varying degrees, been abridged by laws brought into force by states of national emergency."
I took option B: Cut social spending. The .gov isn't responisble for the individual.
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have fun with it guys
