How to fix the budget................................

[Times Roman]

What do you think?

It would be helpful if you explain why you feel the way you do.

Only 1 rule....

....no flaming!!

[kmms]

easiest way to fix the budget would be to let congress know that they have 30 days until all of the special benefits, insurance, pensions etc that they and the executive branch receive will be terminated.

[Times Roman]

since there is no real short term solution, one must think long term, and the fact we have been living way beyond our means for a generation. Anything we do to fix this long term problem will be painful in the short term. Therefore, I suggest we cut spending to reflect the realities of our current economic situation.

[cherrydrpepper]

This is going to happen but its going to take another 20 years so I want you guys to remember CDP predicted this:

You have to legalize and tax the hell out of Weed.

This is the only solution I can see. I am wondering if they can make a constitutional amendment that requires a balance budget every year in congress unless we have declared war. Its really amazing we haven't been taken over or turned into mexico from an economic standpoint yet if you look at just how unintelligent our elected officials are.

[Lunk1]

I voted to cut spending which is importantimo but it's not a 1 part solution. I will say this...I am really starting to buy in to the NO income tax/raise sales tax theory!

[cherrydrpepper]

I clicked cut spending because thats pretty much the same thing as trying to balance the budget.

[jimmyinkedup]

I think it has to be done like it was done before. (ie depression) We need to focus on infrastructure , but not the infrastructure they did back then. We need to have some vision and forsight , build our infrastructure in the area of green / alternative fuels etc.

We need to mind out own business and stop spending billions trying to "help" people that, once we leave, go right back to trying to kill one another , living in caves , and wiping their ass with their hands.

We need stp the special interests and do and audit of our congress. Every member. Its time poeple knew the truth on what they are doing , not donig , and who is paying for it.

We need to get off our ass and play a role in all of the above.

BTW CDP - Im not dead set against your idea , but thats just a band id. The hemorraging needs to stop. That tax revenue needs to be filtered into the things i mentioned above and job creation for the private sector.

[kmms]

we spend something like, more money on "defense" (policing the world, not to mention what we spend on drones and militarized police for our own citizens) than the next 9 or 10 countries combined.

ya, there are some spending cuts available.

[Shol'va]

I voted to continue borrowing from the Chinese. After all it's basically our money to begin with is it not? We sent our factories over there. we built them up. They owe us and by gawd there gonna pay! If they don't like it we can just bomb them into last year. Yeah that's the ticket! Ok seriously I see no easy way to fix whats been broken since the Bush Era. Too many wars costing way too much money. No matter what we do some group is going to get hurt badly. A 16 plus trillion dollar debt is just too much for any nation to endure for any time and the other countries know it's just a waiting game till we crumble. Hell even Alqueda knew this years ago when they first hit the twin towers in 93 I believe and the bomb did not bring it down. But they knew the towers were the center of our strength. So destroy America by bankrupting it was their goal and they are well on their way to success and add the high cost of oil imports which Al queda also has a hand in IMO and this has done more to bankrupt us than even the two plus gulf wars. So with so many factors to figure into this equation it is quite difficult to obtain a happy outcome. IMO So either we suffer immediately or our childrens childrens childrens children suffer 120 years from now. This seems to be the thinking of the day. Just put it off and let the next generation deal with it all. Why? because to do otherwise is political suicide and they know it. So no one on either side is willing to seriously take it head on and deal with the issues. Ain't gonna happen since no one in Washington has any political balls knowing they would then be a one term or less leader who would be hated and shunned from society. So instead we will just keep on borrowing till Our best friend China, who by the way pretty much own America gives us no more credit. That won't happen till they are built up enough militarily to challenge the US in everything we do, which will be any year now that they also have all our blueprints and secrets to our military hardware, along with the codes. Espionage is very lucrative to the Chinese in these trying times as Americans will sell their own mother for money. Sign of the Times in the ole US of A.
PS: man I just reread this and boy it's just a sad outlook. I need to stop watching the Fox News as they are all gloom and doom and it's rubbing off...lol

[austinite]

same way I fix my own budget when no additional money is coming in. Cut spending

[Shol'va]

same way I fix my own budget when no additional money is coming in. Cut spending

I agree but we need folks in there who are willing to do just that. They promise us they will but once in office it's like they have temporary amnesia.

[kmms]

16 trillion is the tip of the iceberg, that doesn't take into account unfunded liabilities which are now somewhere above 40 trillion on their own.

[stocky121]

I dont think any one thing is going to change either of our econemys. If you cut spending to much this will shrink the econemy which in turn will put people out of jobs and in turn more to pay out on welfare and less tax takin in. You can not have to much quantitaive easing either as this will de-value a countrys currency . The only quick way is to vastily increase a countrys gross domestic produce and for that really we have to produce goods cheaper than lets say china. But we dont believe in slave labour so that aint going to happen. Lets face it we have brought this on ourselves people living in there overdraft people getting loans thay know thay carnt pay back. Pre 2008 a bank in england was giving out 120% mortgages no wonder we are all ****ed up.

[zaggahamma]

5 million if obama releases his college and passport documents.....let that ride on 47 on the roullette wheel

[Flagg]

I voted for Cut Spending and Cut taxes.

Seriously, you guys DO NOT want to borrow more money. You need tough austerity measures in my opinion.

[Times Roman]

First of all, we will continue as we always have. We will over spend, under tax, and borrow from the Chinese. We will eventually deal with medicare and social security only when we absolutely have to. Austerity measures now will mean unpopular political decisions, which means adding to the degree of difficulty of getting reelected. So it won't be touched until it is of crisis proportions.

Our economy will continue to slug on at this lethargic pace until it does one of two things:

It will either improve which seems unlikely, or...
It will further deteriorate. If this scenerio occurs, our tax revenue base will erode further, meaning we will have to increase our borrowing from the Chinese.

There will come a point in time where the Chinese will leverage what they lend to us with requests for strategic (either economic, or less likely, military) concessions. This will of course be covered up by our government as best they can. They will not want the sheople to know that we have agreed to provide certain economic interests to the Chinese, such as strategic communication contracts, or the sale of certain hi tech military equipment, or our turning a blind eye when they weaponize space. But eventually, the Chinese will want something in return for their funding our bankrupt economy.

Mark my words.

[Misery13]

Cut spending where it needs to be cut. Congress....

[Gaspari1255]

Stop giving away food stamps to assholes who don't bother looking for work. That's a start.

[cherrydrpepper]

What do you guys think about returning to Imperialism to take strategic resources (oil). I realize an argument could be made we're already doing that..

[jimmyinkedup]

Stop giving away food stamps to assholes who don't bother looking for work. That's a start.

The only thing that bothers me about this now...is if you go back 8 yeARS ...THE ADDITION PEOPLE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY NEEDF IT AND HAVE PAID INTO IT. iTS THE ORIGINAL 60 % that are lifetime scammmers living off the system that need the boot. Unfortunately cutbacks will hit them all. The guy who worked 20 years and got laid off with the wife that stayed home and raised kids that has no job skills - who paid into it - deserves it .and needs it. Or the sumbag that comes from generations of welfare recipients.

[Times Roman]

The only thing that bothers me about this now...is if you go back 8 yeARS ...THE ADDITION PEOPLE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY NEEDF IT AND HAVE PAID INTO IT. iTS THE ORIGINAL 60 % that are lifetime scammmers living off the system that need the boot. Unfortunately cutbacks will hit them all. The guy who worked 20 years and got laid off with the wife that stayed home and raised kids that has no job skills - who paid into it - deserves it .and needs it. Or the sumbag that comes from generations of welfare recipients.

I'm thinking even bigger....

no more nation building. Period!

no more foreign aid to countries like Isreal. If they want our cash, have them give us something of value. No more national welfare!

how about closing tax loopholes. Did you know the NFL, and probably other sport leagues, are technically considered non profit and pay no income tax?

instead of welfare, what's wrong with workfare?

[zaggahamma]

just borrow from China and then beat em up

[pipper0916]

haha i dont think we ever will

[Times Roman]

just borrow from China and then beat em up

as soon as they get icbm's, we will no longer have that ability..................

[10nispro]

Cut spending and downsize areas that need it.

Also, I believe that congress should have term limits and no special treatment after leaving office.

USA needs to protect and take care of our own people first.

No one likes to hear the truth or do it the hard way but thats the way it needs to be and I think people will respect themselves and others.

LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS!!!!!

[HitIt]

how would i fix the budget? i'd stick my huge dick in it. that would teach that budget.

[Times Roman]

how would i fix the budget? i'd stick my huge dick in it. that would teach that budget.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

oh, sorry mate, was i laughing out loud?

[cherrydrpepper]

how would i fix the budget? i'd stick my huge dick in it. that would teach that budget.

What if the budget didnt have a microscope j/k

What do you guys think about legalizing prostitution regulating and taxing it just in certain parts of the country? Perhaps they could do a study of where the most prostitution is taking place and begin there.

[Wazz]

Voted cut, but it's not the only solution.

Reorganization should be priority. The federal govt. shouldn't be increasing or decreasing taxes across the board. They need to start letting the States govern themselves (to an extent). Each living dynamic is different & what works in big cities fails in other areas...

Could talk all day on this, but will just say having a good business man in the whitehouse instead of a lawyer should do us good. Regardless of how one makes a fortune, his/her's good business practice should show & reflect on our economy.

[DSM4Life]

Two words; Big Bird.

[Honkey_Kong]

What if the budget didnt have a microscope j/k

What do you guys think about legalizing prostitution regulating and taxing it just in certain parts of the country? Perhaps they could do a study of where the most prostitution is taking place and begin there.

The problem with taxing things like prostitution and pot is people will just do it illegally like they do now. You really think some hooker gives a shit if she's not paying taxes on her trade? She's a hewa. Look in Nevada where outside Clark County prostitution IS legal. You still got hookers on the street practicing their trade without being taxed.

I say we just keep borrowing from the Chinese. Think about it, if China one days just says "sorry guys, we're cutting you off," they'd be committing economic suicide. Without us, who is buying their junk? China is experiencing major economic problems due to our recession so they know they can't cut off their customers.

The only thing we in America could do to compete with the low costs of 3rd world labour is to create factories that are so far mechanized that we keep the actual human labour to a minimum. In other words, you're not creating jobs.

[Times Roman]

The problem with taxing things like prostitution and pot is people will just do it illegally like they do now. You really think some hooker gives a shit if she's not paying taxes on her trade? She's a hewa. Look in Nevada where outside Clark County prostitution IS legal. You still got hookers on the street practicing their trade without being taxed.

I say we just keep borrowing from the Chinese. Think about it, if China one days just says "sorry guys, we're cutting you off," they'd be committing economic suicide. Without us, who is buying their junk? China is experiencing major economic problems due to our recession so they know they can't cut off their customers.

The only thing we in America could do to compete with the low costs of 3rd world labour is to create factories that are so far mechanized that we keep the actual human labour to a minimum. In other words, you're not creating jobs.

You don't get out much, do you mate?

The whole world is buying cheap chinese items. when i was in afghanistan, that's all we could basically get. All through asia, and the middle east, the chinese OWN the market on cheap manufactured items. it has now spread through europe, and is workingit's way through the other continents.

[LNT8799]

What I would do (Hypothetically speaking) is cut food stamps, welfare, and ANY other government assistance for low income people. Let me just tell you this, I used to do in-home care for awhile, it was one of my first jobs when I was a teenager. I worked there for about three years. I stayed in a house for 8-12 hours a day with a an 18 year old kid and a 35 year old man. Neither one is what I would consider "mentally handicapped." Yes, they were a little on the weird side if you saw them out in public or something, but, they could both do everything that you or I could do to take care of themselves, AND, both have families that are MORE than capable of taking care of them in their own home, but they choose not to. So, the government pays to house, feed, take care of these people. Not only that, but they also give them spending money. Plus, they paid me to stay at their house and keep an eye on them. Both were extremely overweight, and they both got over $500 a month in foodstamps! Countless times I took these guys to the gas station and they would buy candy bars, energy drinks, sodas, and twinkies with their EBT cards. I realize there is a big difference in people like these guys and somebody that has say down syndrome, that isnt capable of taking care of themselves. But, when their is a family that CAN take care of them, but choose not to. Well thats just stupid. If you bring a child into this world, you should have to take care of them regardless of the circumstance. It just makes me sick to know that the taxes that come out of my hard earned paycheck are going to pay for their electric bill, their wireless internet, their twinkies, and all the other stupid stuff they buy!

[zaggahamma]

What I would do (Hypothetically speaking) is cut food stamps, welfare, and ANY other government assistance for low income people. Let me just tell you this, I used to do in-home care for awhile, it was one of my first jobs when I was a teenager. I worked there for about three years. I stayed in a house for 8-12 hours a day with a an 18 year old kid and a 35 year old man. Neither one is what I would consider "mentally handicapped." Yes, they were a little on the weird side if you saw them out in public or something, but, they could both do everything that you or I could do to take care of themselves, AND, both have families that are MORE than capable of taking care of them in their own home, but they choose not to. So, the government pays to house, feed, take care of these people. Not only that, but they also give them spending money. Plus, they paid me to stay at their house and keep an eye on them. Both were extremely overweight, and they both got over $500 a month in foodstamps! Countless times I took these guys to the gas station and they would buy candy bars, energy drinks, sodas, and twinkies with their EBT cards. I realize there is a big difference in people like these guys and somebody that has say down syndrome, that isnt capable of taking care of themselves. But, when their is a family that CAN take care of them, but choose not to. Well thats just stupid. If you bring a child into this world, you should have to take care of them regardless of the circumstance. It just makes me sick to know that the taxes that come out of my hard earned paycheck are going to pay for their electric bill, their wireless internet, their twinkies, and all the other stupid stuff they buy!

thank you for the real life story

i think we all see similar or worse misuses of fed aid...those driving the beemer with the gold watch but using the ebt cards, etc.

definitely a big part of the problem (entitlements)

i think their should be work requirements/better oversight for welfare

[Gaspari1255]

What I would do (Hypothetically speaking) is cut food stamps, welfare, and ANY other government assistance for low income people. Let me just tell you this, I used to do in-home care for awhile, it was one of my first jobs when I was a teenager. I worked there for about three years. I stayed in a house for 8-12 hours a day with a an 18 year old kid and a 35 year old man. Neither one is what I would consider "mentally handicapped." Yes, they were a little on the weird side if you saw them out in public or something, but, they could both do everything that you or I could do to take care of themselves, AND, both have families that are MORE than capable of taking care of them in their own home, but they choose not to. So, the government pays to house, feed, take care of these people. Not only that, but they also give them spending money. Plus, they paid me to stay at their house and keep an eye on them. Both were extremely overweight, and they both got over $500 a month in foodstamps! Countless times I took these guys to the gas station and they would buy candy bars, energy drinks, sodas, and twinkies with their EBT cards. I realize there is a big difference in people like these guys and somebody that has say down syndrome, that isnt capable of taking care of themselves. But, when their is a family that CAN take care of them, but choose not to. Well thats just stupid. If you bring a child into this world, you should have to take care of them regardless of the circumstance. It just makes me sick to know that the taxes that come out of my hard earned paycheck are going to pay for their electric bill, their wireless internet, their twinkies, and all the other stupid stuff they buy!

Well said....

The problem is that no one can fvcking take responsibility for themselves. You become a drug addict or drunk, it's not your fault. You just have a disability. Here's some free shit. You become morbidly obese? It's not your fault. You just have a disease. Here's some free shit. You pump out 8 kids and your baby daddy is in jail, it's not your fault. We'll take care of your kids.....

PEOPLE NEED TO START TAKING RESPONSIBILITY.

[Flagg]

What do you guys think about returning to Imperialism to take strategic resources (oil). I realize an argument could be made we're already doing that..

Yeah right, not gonna happen in a post cold war world..

EDIT: Norway is per capita, the richest European nation because it sits on top of a shitload of oil. Really cant see you guys storming in and just taking their oil going down well with everyone. Before you know it, people get nervous and start worrying about who is next.

Seriously cant believe you think that's actually a viable option.

[Honkey_Kong]

You don't get out much, do you mate?

The whole world is buying cheap chinese items. when i was in afghanistan, that's all we could basically get. All through asia, and the middle east, the chinese OWN the market on cheap manufactured items. it has now spread through europe, and is workingit's way through the other continents.

Still, we buy a fvcking shitload of their stuff. If they decide to not bail us out and let us fail, they're going to take a major hit.

[Flagg]

Still, we buy a fvcking shitload of their stuff. If they decide to not bail us out and let us fail, they're going to take a major hit.

http://i.factmonster.com/images/03IPatlas_worldmap.gif

Have you seen a picture of this recently? You dont think China cant find other customers? Do you really think all America has to say is "we wont buy your radio's anymore so there!" ?

Canada, Brazil, India, Europe.....huge customers right there.

[LNT8799]

Well said....

The problem is that no one can fvcking take responsibility for themselves. You become a drug addict or drunk, it's not your fault. You just have a disability. Here's some free shit. You become morbidly obese? It's not your fault. You just have a disease. Here's some free shit. You pump out 8 kids and your baby daddy is in jail, it's not your fault. We'll take care of your kids.....

PEOPLE NEED TO START TAKING RESPONSIBILITY.

Exactly, I had a conversation with the 18 year olds mother while I was working there. (I would take him once a month to visit with his mom and younger brother) Now, this woman is what you would call an "expert" poor person. She knows every benefit and type of assistance out there, and tries to get on as many as she can. She's complaining to me about how she would like to see Jimmy more (the 18 year old) but has to spend all of her gas money on going to her doctor visits. (She had colon cancer or something). She goes on to say how she can't afford to keep paying the gas money to drive to the doctor and what not. Then, and I quote, she says "I've got medicaid, but they don't pay for my gas, they don't pay for getting my car serviced, and they don't pay for new tires, who's gonna pay for that stuff?"

And that, is what is wrong with people. They have this mindset that since they are "poor" they everyone elses OWES them something...When the F did this become the "normal" mentality of people??

[Flagg]

..... nevermind.