Who Knew? Cutting Government Spending IS Actually Possible

Fox News ^ | December 01, 2010 | John R. Lott Jr.

[JohnRLott]

Federal government spending is on a course with disaster. $2.7 trillion has been added to the national debt in just 2009 and 2010. Under current budget plans, the federal government's debt will likely exceed our income in just over a decade from now. President Obama's Debt Commission (The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform) released its solution today.

The commission, composed of twice as many Democrats as Republicans, proposes limiting federal government revenue and spending to 21 percent of GDP. Assuming that promises are actually kept, that would mean an increase in what revenue the federal government has traditionally taken in and a return to what government spending has been prior to the huge surge we have seen over the last two years. -- Over most of the last 60 years, federal government revenue has been about 19 percent of GDP. Spending over that period has been around 21 percent or less.

To make up this revenue, . . .

[Forgotten Amendments]

Yeah, back after WWII. Do that now and 90% of Freepers would scream “Isolationism” or worse. Not to mention what the left will scream.

Forget it. We're done. If you're young, you should be looking to South America or Asia.

[Sen Jack S. Fogbound]

It is possible but only if they pass a “No Deficit Spending Allowed except in Case of Declared War!”\\

That means no stimulus spending, no financing anything not paid for at the beginning, no earmarks, etc.

[Gipper08]

The Debt commission’s proposal is a joke.

[Thunder90]

I personally call for a 33% reduction in all federal programs immediately. 33% cut in federal non military personal, a 33% pay cut, and a 33% reduction in working hours for those 66% left. Furthermore, agencies like the EPA, ATF, DEA, ect are sent to the ashheap of history. The Dept of Education is dismantled, along with other unnecessary federal institutions. The Social Security age is increased to 70 by the year 2050. Mandates on states are lifted, and states will be requested to follow similar guidelines in balancing their budgets.

Finally, a 6% tariff on all imports will be imposed. This will remain in effect until we run a surplus that is similar to the current deficit with inflation factored in.

[voicereason]

Let’ see...here’s some possible cuts:

Dept. Of Education
Dept. of Interior
Payments to IMF, U.N., etc.
Foriegn Aid
Reductions in Congressional staff and the assisstant to the assistant
Michelle Obama’s staff
Support for B.S. groups / organizations such as planned parenthood and NPR

The list can go on and on...........

[RC2]

Cut federal employees by 30% also. Since the President was elected, it is said that over 300,000 federal employees have been hired.

[DTogo]

From estimated receipts for fiscal year 2010 of $2.381 trillion:

1. Cut the budgets of the following Federal Departments/Agencies by 25%: Defense, VA, State, DHS, Justice, NASA, Treasury ($216.6Bn)

2. Eliminate the following Federal Departments/Agencies: DHHS, Transportation, HUD, Education, Energy, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Interior, EPA, SSA, National Science Foundation (WTF?), Corps of Engineers, National Infrastructure Bank (WTF?), Corporation for National Community Service (WTF?), Small Business Administration, General Services Administration, Other Agencies, Other ($501.3Bn)

3. Cut the following “Mandatory Spending” by 25%: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Other ($500.7Bn)

You now have a $834.4Bn surplus to pay down the debt and/or reduce taxes.

[bigbob]

If Obama had what Hillary’s got, he’d call the Republican leaders in and tell them, “OK, you guys and your tea party pals keep talking about making cuts. Fine, the debt commission says we need to cut entitlements, defense, and other budgets. YOU guys put the bills on the table and we’ll have a debate.” He could let the R’s do the heavy lifting and then take credit because it was “his” commissions recommendation. But he won’t.

[Wurlitzer]

Before a single penny is cut on the domestic side or a single penny in increase tax is demanded, we must demand all and I do mean all foreign aid be stopped for good.

Then bring our troops home from Germany, Japan, S. Korea. They hate us anyway lets save the money.

The USA has been contributing more than its fair share for decades. STOP it.

Then eliminate funding for the UN and kick those culturally inferior sub-humans to the curb.

[Aevery_Freeman]

Then, I’m afraid, we would be at a perpetual state of war just like in Orwell’s 1984.

[old curmudgeon]

Exactly.

And a national sales tax to replace the IRS. Tax to be paid by all, regardless of income.

No VAT tax, but a sales tax.

All the VAT does is hide the sins of the government and make the corporations look like the robber baron when in fact it is the government.

With a sales tax, everyone sees on every purchase receipt exactly what government is costing them.

[meyer]

I’ve got an idea - how about they publish the federal spending budget online and let us trim budgets ourselves. Make it an active web page where we can change the numbers and see the results. If nothing else, it will show what parts of the government the people hate the most.

[ari-freedom]

“I’ve got an idea - how about they publish the federal spending budget online and let us trim budgets ourselves. Make it an active web page where we can change the numbers and see the results. If nothing else, it will show what parts of the government the people hate the most.”

And they will find that the only way to put our country on sound fiscal footing is to cut the programs that they love the most.

[taxcontrol]

Your proposals are only scratching the surface. The real problem is entitlements - namely Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Mandatory Spending, at $1.412 trillion in FY 2006, is over half of the U.S. Federal Budget. The largest mandatory spending programs are Social Security and Medicare, as follows:
•Social Security - $544 billion
•Medicare - $325 billion
•Medicaid - $186 billion
•All other mandatory programs - $357 billion. These programs include Food Stamps, Unemployment Compensation, Child Nutrition, Child Tax Credits, Supplemental Security for the blind and disabled, Student Loans, and Retirement / Disability programs for Civil Servants, the Coast Guard and the Military

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks JohnRLott.

It's worth remembering that in 1801, when Jefferson became president, the US national debt was around $100 million, about 10 times annual federal revenues. This was literally "the cost of freedom," and would correspond today to a national debt around $30 trillion. Since our actual national debt is $13+ trillion, the government is in better financial shape today than it was in Jefferson's time. And at the time, Jefferson's number one priority was paying down the national debt. So, how did he do it? How does ANY wise government ever increase its revenues? Yes, that's right! JEFFERSON REDUCED GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND CUT TAXES.-- BroJoeK

Thank BroJoeK, and for that matter, thanks President Jefferson.

[Thunder90]

I call for a phase-out of social security by 2050.

[PaleoBob]

I personally call for a 33% reduction in all federal programs immediately. 33% cut in federal non military personal, a 33% pay cut, and a 33% reduction in working hours for those 66% left.

---

Cuts like this all at once would set off massive chaos in the general economy, a great depresson for sure. There will NEVER be cuts like this. What you can do is cut the govt 5% per year over a period of 8 years and reach a healthier situation.

The agencies can be eliminated via consolidations.