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Subject: Bringing some budget sensability to the table
Posted by: Perm Dude
- [5510572522] Thu, Dec 03, 2009, 11:51
There's been a lot of budget stuff discussed on the boards, but much of it is scattershot. I came across this interesting list of ideas to help trim the budget yesterday, and thought this might be a good springboard for a new thread.
As far as my own belief on the issue, I've been a very strong proponent of PAYGO and other budgetary rules which help prevent the excesses we've seen the last 7-8 years with Congress. There's really two things on the table right now: The large current debt (for which I'm not concerned with right now), and getting our fiscal house in order in future budgets (which will help roll back unfunded self-mandates and crazy boondoggles like Medicare Part-D which sucks up so much money from the General Fund it isn't even funny. |
| 1 | boikin
ID: 532592112
Thu, Dec 03, 2009, 11:54
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i have not read the article yet but i am all in favor of the government hiding revenues so that is has extra money for rainy day. As long the public or congress, or the president knows there is extra money they will spend it.
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| 2 | Bauxman
ID: 2110171217
Thu, Dec 03, 2009, 20:50
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Yeah right. Let me know when we get the 1.4 trillion in annual spending reductions. Until then don't wake me from my nap on this issue where the only thing that happens is lipservice, lies, and bulls#it.
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| 3 | Perm Dude
ID: 5510572522
Thu, Dec 03, 2009, 21:30
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Hmm. Given a chance to sound off on this issue, B-Man pisses it away. I'll be linking to your #2 whenever your fake outrage (queued to RNC talking points du jour) gets to budget shortfalls...
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| 4 | Tree
ID: 248472317
Fri, Dec 04, 2009, 09:56
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Yeah right. Let me know when we get the 1.4 trillion in annual spending reductions. Until then don't wake me from my nap on this issue where the only thing that happens is lipservice, lies, and bulls#it.
couldn't you even at least make an attempt to contribute something sensible, rational, and without your mock anger?
then again, you sticking your head in the ground and not being involved with figuring out a solution might actually better for those who do want to work on solving this problem.
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| 5 | Khahan
ID: 391582715
Fri, Dec 04, 2009, 10:12
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here's an idea: start setting aside a few hundred million each year until you have approximately a years worth of spending set aside.
Now, write a budget around using that money. As taxes come in for that year, set them aside until the next year. The next year, use that money to set the budget. You don't get to spend more than you have.
We're no longer in deficit spending.
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| 6 | DWetzel
ID: 33337117
Fri, Dec 04, 2009, 10:24
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A few hundred million?
A few hundred MILLION?
I mean, I love the general concept, but I think that if we set aside a few hundred million a year (in today's dollars), you're going to find that you are able to implement this plan sometime in the next millennium.
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| 7 | Perm Dude
ID: 5510572522
Fri, Dec 04, 2009, 10:45
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A good idea to pull money out when the government is flush, but that amount isn't going to go very far in covering the whole budget. We're going to have spent something like $822 billion in 2009 on Defense Department spending alone.
This is like counting on paying your rent money from your change jar.
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| 8 | Khahan
ID: 391582715
Fri, Dec 04, 2009, 10:53
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Ok, a few hundred billion.
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| 9 | DWetzel
ID: 33337117
Fri, Dec 04, 2009, 10:59
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And if we had a few hundred billion, we could actually use that to do something sensible like paying down the debt.
Oh, who am I kidding, we'd spend it faster than (insert witty, topical joke that I'm always bad at here).
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| 10 | boikin
ID: 532592112
Fri, Dec 04, 2009, 10:59
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What would one of these self help dept advisers say if the client was the US? probably something like cut up your credit cards, cut your budget, and sell of assets you don't need...
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| 11 | Perm Dude
ID: 5510572522
Fri, Dec 04, 2009, 12:28
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I don't think that really applies, boikin. The debt taken on by the US is qualitatively different from personal debt.
Sometimes it is necessary to take on debt as a country. Sometimes it is thrust upon us through circumstances (tax revenues, for example, are way down because of the recession).
But some of the budget (whether it puts us in debt or not) are stupid and are voluntarily entered into. The Farm Bill, for instance, should be entirely scrapped in my opinion.
Obama has been doing some small (and unsexy) stuff with regard to holding down outflows, such as trying to keep federal employee salaries to a 2% raise rather than the 2.9% raise the law allows. There are lots and lots of examples of this that, collectively, can really add up.
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| 12 | Bauxman
ID: 2110171217
Fri, Dec 04, 2009, 18:19
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Yeah right. Let me know when we get the 1.4 trillion in annual spending reductions. Until then don't wake me from my nap on this issue where the only thing that happens is lipservice, lies, and bulls#it.
couldn't you even at least make an attempt to contribute something sensible, rational, and without your mock anger?
then again, you sticking your head in the ground and not being involved with figuring out a solution might actually better for those who do want to work on solving this problem.
Because it seems like a punchline when deficit reduction is discussed and the numbers are miniscule given the size our deficit and real deficit when you factor in unfunded liabilities. Start by cutting all government spending in all areas by 20%. Then wake me up.
Otherwise its a feeeeeeeeel good bull session.
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| 13 | Tree
ID: 248472317
Sat, Dec 05, 2009, 13:54
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Otherwise its a feeeeeeeeel good bull session.
funny. before i even started reading this "response", something told me that Bauxman was going to invoke his whole "feeeeeeeling" BS.
i was right.
the irony here is that when it comes to emotional posting, no one even touches Bauxman.
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| 14 | Bauxman
ID: 2110171217
Sat, Dec 05, 2009, 16:30
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Here we go, grandpa has had his scotch and now its time to mouth off....
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| 15 | DWetzel
ID: 33337117
Sat, Dec 05, 2009, 17:08
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Aren't you the guy crying to the refs about personal attacks?
And not ten minutes later you come up with this crap?
Hypocrite.
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