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U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) today released a new report “Back in Black” that outlines how the federal government can reduce the deficit by $9 trillion over the next ten years and balance the federal budget. The 614-page plan was the result of a thorough and exhaustive review of thousands of federal programs.
“The American people are tired of Washington waiting until the last minute to avoid a crisis, particularly when it is a crisis Washington itself created. The crisis, though, is not the debt limit deadline. The crisis is Congress’ refusal to make hard choices and reduce a debt that has become our greatest national security threat. The plan I am offering today gives Washington 9 trillion reasons to stop making excuses and start solving the problem,” Dr. Coburn said.
I am going to attempt to go through this and highlight some of the numbers and suggested cuts, such as...
(from the Executive Summary of the report)
The debt is the real threat to our future and our national security. More than $1.5 trillion is projected to be added to our $14.4 trillion national debt every year for the foreseeable future. These colossal amounts are dwarfed by the $61.6 trillion in additional unfunded obligations promised by the federal government. These commitments include Social Security payments and federal retirement programs, which have been raided by Congress to pay for other programs.
We cannot guarantee retirement programs for the elderly, protect the safety net for the poor, or preserve the American Dream for future generations if we do not end Washington’s unsustainable borrowing and spending. While the federal government is bailing out banks, corporations, and government programs and trust funds, we are bankrupting our nation in the process and there is no one who can bail us out when that happens.
We have over 4 times our debt already scheduled in future programs - even though we cannot afford the cost of government today. Total insanity.
Several federal departments and agencies maintain offices and programs for the purpose of helping Hollywood produce movies and television programming, often with the goal of ensuring producers positively portray the federal government. These agencies have at least 14 employees with a combined salary total of $1.2 million.
...
The Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Entertainment Education Program collaborates with Hollywood to raise awareness and encourages people to live healthier lives.
...
In other words, the CDC spends $1.9 million to ensure that when a made up character in a fictitious TV show talks about a health topic, he or she talks about it accurately.
Eliminating this would save $34.4 million in ten years.
For example, in terms of cash benefits, in 2008, the Department of Labor’s Unemployment Insurance program paid 2,804 people with an AGI of $1 million or more over $18.6 million. In fact, 17 of these reported an AGI of $10 million or more on their 2008 Tax Return.
In the same year, the Social Security Administration paid 56,587 million-dollar-earners over $1.54 billion in retirement benefits. Of these, 2,511 reported an AGI of $10 million or more.
...
The purpose behind other payments of federal funds to millionaires is even less clear. For example, the National Endowment for the Arts (“NEA”) made a $25,000 grant to multimillionaire Quincy Jones (winner of 27 Grammy Awards) in 2008 through its NEA Jazz Masters program.
...
NEA also honors achievement in Opera and in 2008 made a $25,000 grant to millionaire James Levine.
... In total, in 2008, NEA distributed over $1.8 million in grants to honor artistic lifetime achievement and fellowships to published creative writers.
...
.. in 2010, USDA paid eight millionaires over $74 million through its Wetlands Reserve Program. The Wetland Reserve Program was established to give “landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property.” Millionaires can afford to “protect, restore, and enhance wetlands” with their own money.
This is page 25 and 26 of the report - the entire report is over 600 pages of this stuff.
It eliminates almost the entire EPA administrative structure...including the elimination of clean up efforts in the great lakes, emission controls, research funding, and clean air programs.
Eliminates the army core projects like re-enforcing levies, completing flood protection projects, deepening water ways for boat traffic (like trade), and waste water treatment programs.
Cut programs in the department of labor like subsidizing prisoners looking for work (I wonder how they will live now, maybe...crime?), make OSHA compliance voluntary only, close the BLS, and remove the agency that inspects/prosecutes gender discrimination.
Eliminates funding for NASA materials research (they sell a lot of that stuff, space related or not, for a profit you know), eliminate funding for research into new vehicles/fuels, eliminate upgrades to Kennedy for new technologies, and eliminate small business innovation grants (wait, who is going to research stuff now?).
Increase co-payments for all vets getting medical care, including an annual fee for some.
Eliminate the restoration of damaged habitats/environment (actually paid for with fines), eliminate the enforcement of said environmental protections (including pollution), eliminate the census agency, and get rid of NTIA (including enforcement of net neutrality and provide rural telecommunication lines).
It eliminates almost the entire EPA administrative structure...including the elimination of clean up efforts in the great lakes, emission controls, research funding, and clean air programs.
Eliminates the army core projects like re-enforcing levies, completing flood protection projects, deepening water ways for boat traffic (like trade), and waste water treatment programs.
Cut programs in the department of labor like subsidizing prisoners looking for work (I wonder how they will live now, maybe...crime?), make OSHA compliance voluntary only, close the BLS, and remove the agency that inspects/prosecutes gender discrimination.
Eliminates funding for NASA materials research (they sell a lot of that stuff, space related or not, for a profit you know), eliminate funding for research into new vehicles/fuels, eliminate upgrades to Kennedy for new technologies, and eliminate small business innovation grants (wait, who is going to research stuff now?).
Increase co-payments for all vets getting medical care, including an annual fee for some.
Eliminate the restoration of damaged habitats/environment (actually paid for with fines), eliminate the enforcement of said environmental protections (including pollution), eliminate the census agency, and get rid of NTIA (including enforcement of net neutrality and provide rural telecommunication lines).
HAHAHAHAHA! This must be a joke.
i think the EPA is important, and wouldn't want to do away with it... or some of these other programs... but at least this guy gave it the old college try.
It eliminates almost the entire EPA administrative structure...including the elimination of clean up efforts in the great lakes, emission controls, research funding, and clean air programs.
Eliminates the army core projects like re-enforcing levies, completing flood protection projects, deepening water ways for boat traffic (like trade), and waste water treatment programs.
Cut programs in the department of labor like subsidizing prisoners looking for work (I wonder how they will live now, maybe...crime?), make OSHA compliance voluntary only, close the BLS, and remove the agency that inspects/prosecutes gender discrimination.
Eliminates funding for NASA materials research (they sell a lot of that stuff, space related or not, for a profit you know), eliminate funding for research into new vehicles/fuels, eliminate upgrades to Kennedy for new technologies, and eliminate small business innovation grants (wait, who is going to research stuff now?).
Increase co-payments for all vets getting medical care, including an annual fee for some.
Eliminate the restoration of damaged habitats/environment (actually paid for with fines), eliminate the enforcement of said environmental protections (including pollution), eliminate the census agency, and get rid of NTIA (including enforcement of net neutrality and provide rural telecommunication lines).
HAHAHAHAHA! This must be a joke.
Probably, but it also just lays out the end game for the current pack of crazies. Remove all environmental safeguards and infrastructure. The private sector will just do all that for us at no cost and create jobs while doing it!
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