Fix it.

[Guest]

I say we start by boxing and burning the health care omnibus borrowed spending bill.
Stop all stimulus borrowing any returns from paybacks go to payoff national debt.
Couch all legislation requiring incurred debt.
Stop all foriegn aid to any countries except for humanitarian assistance.
Freeze ALL social programs at -1 rate increases (before the last increase).
Ammend "Posse Comitatus" and bring back European troops to guard our borders.

Then we make tax cuts on business that will force them over here (back over here).
business less tax=lower cost to manufacture
lower cost to manufacture=lower price to consumer
lower price to consumer=increased demand (consumers)
increased demand=increased production
increased production=more employees
more employees=larger tax base+less social program need
larger tax base+less social program need=pay down national debt (faster)

Have I heard these ideals before, oh yeah..."and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, "

Let me see...
pay down national debt+less need for social programs=less government required
Nope it won't happen in the U.S. ...too many career politicians

Help me out here fellow legislators...if I'm wrong with the formula above tell me why? I'll listen...I'm not the POTUS after all.

[John81]

All good ideas that would be beneficial, but in order to actually pay off the national debt and to prevent the freezes from eventually being ended and increases taking place, the size of the Fed government must be cut, with unconstitutional departments, agencies and programs eliminated.

However, as you said, the career politicians won't do this. If they took the necessary actions the voters would be so troubled they would vote the politicians out of office come the next election. Americans want quick and painless relief and that's impossible. The only actions that could save this country would be like taking strong medicine, very unpleasant for awhile, would take a good deal of time to get used to, and would take some years before the benefits really started paying off well across the board enough for the people to settle down.

Imagine the Department of Education eliminated tomorrow, permantely shut down, and whatever money left from their current budget applied to the debt. That would be a great start. However, thousands would lose their jobs, teachers unions would have a cow, the entire liberal establishment would go crazy, the media would make it sound like the death of education, and millions of voters would be in an uproar. All that, and probably more, over the closing of just one department. Now imagine the effect if a dozen were shut down along with a dozen or two other agencies and programs.

The sad fact is, most Americans get some sort of "benefit" from the Fed government, and while some might be willing to see others lose their goodies, they aren't willing to give up their own.

A government full of statesman might actually do the right thing, a government full of politicians is more concerned about reelection.

[HappyChristian]

Sounds good, Dave (and I assume by European troops, you mean our troops over there, not troops from Europe, right?)

Add to that a massive cut in pay for legislative, executive and judicial branches. Create a boarding house for legislators to live in while in DC, thus negating the need for them to own 2 homes (unless they can afford it by their non-governmental jobs). Require that they go home and live amongst their constituents longer than not.

[Guest]

Sounds good, Dave (and I assume by European troops, you mean our troops over there, not troops from Europe, right?)

Add to that a massive cut in pay for legislative, executive and judicial branches. Create a boarding house for legislators to live in while in DC, thus negating the need for them to own 2 homes (unless they can afford it by their non-governmental jobs). Require that they go home and live amongst their constituents longer than not.

Yes our Europen troops...

[Bro Jim]

I say we start by boxing and burning the health care omnibus borrowed spending bill.
Stop all stimulus borrowing any returns from paybacks go to payoff national debt.
Couch all legislation requiring incurred debt.
Stop all foriegn aid to any countries except for humanitarian assistance.
Freeze ALL social programs at -1 rate increases (before the last increase).
Ammend "Posse Comitatus" and bring back European troops to guard our borders.

Then we make tax cuts on business that will force them over here (back over here).
business less tax=lower cost to manufacture
lower cost to manufacture=lower price to consumer
lower price to consumer=increased demand (consumers)
increased demand=increased production
increased production=more employees
more employees=larger tax base+less social program need
larger tax base+less social program need=pay down national debt (faster)

Have I heard these ideals before, oh yeah..."and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, "

Let me see...
pay down national debt+less need for social programs=less government required
Nope it won't happen in the U.S. ...too many career politicians

Help me out here fellow legislators...if I'm wrong with the formula above tell me why? I'll listen...I'm not the POTUS after all.

[Guest]

No better place to put this than here.

AFGE President John Gage appeared on Fox News Channel on the Neil Cavuto Show today. Bemoaning the freeze of pay for unionized federal employees. They say...the services they provide won't be as good if they don't get pay increases.

I'm retired Navy and they increased my taxes this year. If it helps pay down the deficit I'm for it. If it pays for illegal immigrants health care...I'm against it.

That said, I think it's deplorable to protest a pay freeze when we should all be tightening our belts to pay down the deficit.

Back to my OP...

I say we start by boxing and burning the health care omnibus borrowed spending bill.
Stop all stimulus borrowing any returns from paybacks go to payoff national debt.
Couch all legislation requiring incurred debt.
Stop all foriegn aid to any countries except for humanitarian assistance.
Freeze ALL social programs at -1 rate increases (before the last increase).

I'm adding to the list...
Federal employees should have their pay cut to pre-last pay raise compensation. That is...take back their last pay raise to pay for the national debt. This includes Congress and all federal employees at all levels...across the board...no- if- and- or, buts allowed. Just do it.

And again get rid of the pending "health care omnibus borrowed spending bill."

What is wrong with this nation? Besides the obvious need for a Savior? I can eat beans and corn bread more often and so can they.

[John81]

A major problem is that the debt is so large that even making all those changes would barely make even the tiniest of dents. This would be akin to having a person having a hundred thousand dollars of credit card debt at 22% interest and that person decides to get out of debt by paying one cent above the minimum monthly payment.

America's debt has become so large it's like an advanced cancer that requires drastic, invasive surgery. Massive cuts in government, with every last penny that would have went to fund those put into paying off the debt would be required. Even then, the debt is so huge the government and people would have to hold to such a plan for decades.

If anywhere from 1/3 to 3/4ths of the federal government agencies and programs were eliminated there would be riots in the streets, and worse. Most Americans have grown to love their government hand-outs and all those things the government takes care of for them. Even in the midst of these difficult times, millions still demand not only that all the goodies keep coming from the government, but want even more.

There was a discussion of this topic on the radio a few weeks ago. Much of what has been proposed was discussed and the amounts of savings that would come from ending foreign aid, enacting spending freezes, etc., would be like one of us tossing some pocket change on the table as a means to pay down the debt. America's debt is staggering and it's even worse than most realize because what is put forth as the national debt is actually much lower than the true national debt when all things are factored in that the government, by strokes of the pen, keep from being counted.

According to those who keep close track of this, America is very close to not only hitting, but crossing that line where the yearly interest payments on the debt will exceed Americas yearly GDP. This is the main reason China is so upset with America's reckless monetary policies. While China would not cry over the fall of America, they would bemoan the loss of billions they have loaned America.

[Bro Jim]

Let see f I remember right the average wage for a federal employee is around $75,000 and the average American's is $40,000.

Let's make their pay equal to that the same as average citizen doing the same job. What concept.

Is it 53% of Americans are on food stamps or some kind of government supplement.

And I'll guarantee that I'm not making $40,000 myself.

Kinda like the car companies paying $25-30 per hour to have cars built (to pot smokers) and expect someone making $10-15 an hour to buy those cars.

Rant Rant!!

[Guest]

Let see f I remember right the average wage for a federal employee is around $75,000 and the average American's is $40,000.

Let's make their pay equal to that the same as average citizen doing the same job. What concept.

Is it 53% of Americans are on food stamps or some kind of government supplement.

And I'll guarantee that I'm not making $40,000 myself.

Kinda like the car companies paying $25-30 per hour to have cars built (to pot smokers) and expect someone making $10-15 an hour to buy those cars.

Rant Rant!!

I'm with you there...I can change on the side of greater savings!

[John81]

So far, what both sides is putting forth is far too little to be of any real help and yet both sides are complaining about each others budget proposals and ready to fight against each other. The Repubs have made it clear they are unwilling to make the big cuts and reductions necessary and the Dems have made it clear they won't even accept the minor cuts the Repubs have proposed.