Question about federal spending.

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Adex_Xeda
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Question about federal spending.

Post by Adex_Xeda »

Personally,

Do you care about the US federal government spending more money than it brings in?

We've been getting away with it for so long, many people don't even think about it anymore.

Do you care?

Would you personally be willing to give up a benefit program like social security, or an aircraft carrier to help balance the ledger?
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Adex_Xeda
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Re: Question about federal spending.

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I think I'd be willing to give up tax deductions to help "raise revenue"

Drop my 3-child tax credits.
Surrender my mortgage interest deduction.
Maybe give up my tax free medical spending account status.

2 birds with one stone, raise taxes by simplifying the tax rules etc.
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Re: Question about federal spending.

Post by Winnow »

I assume you've seen this graphic about the number of U.S. Aircraft Carriers compared to the rest of the world:

http://static2.businessinsider.com/imag ... s-2013.gif

(linked due to size)

I'd be willing to give up a single carrier if that money went directly to NASA's budget for space exploration.

From 2013:
Poll: 90% of Americans Mistakenly Believe the Deficit Is Rising Or Flat – Just 6% Know It Is Actually Shrinking

A Bloomberg poll released last week found that 90 percent of Americans hold the mistaken view that the U.S. deficit is rising or staying the same, when in fact it has been shrinking at a rapid pace since Pres. Obama took office.

Misunderstood Deficit: [The] size and trajectory of the U.S. deficit is poorly understood by most Americans, with 62 percent saying it’s getting bigger, 28 percent saying it’s staying about the same this year, and just 6 percent saying it’s shrinking. The Congressional Budget Office reported Feb. 6 that the federal budget deficit is getting smaller, falling to $845 billion this year — the first time in five years that the gap between taxes and spending will be less than $1 trillion.
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Re: Question about federal spending.

Post by Adex_Xeda »

Problem with that chart is it stops at 2009.

If you saw that same statistic from 1990 to now?
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Re: Question about federal spending.

Post by Funkmasterr »

I'd like to see the military budget cut by about 75%. It would have to be gradually cut to that, but it should be cut all the same.

P.S. You don't post much, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you don't know trying to have a serious conversation with him is pointless.
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Re: Question about federal spending.

Post by Aslanna »

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Thanks Obama!

Funkmasterr wrote:I'd like to see the military budget cut by about 75%. It would have to be gradually cut to that, but it should be cut all the same.
The problem with that is that any cuts to defense and people start saying you're a terrorist or don't support the troops or some stupid shit like that. I'm sure there are a lot of job programs in the budget at this point.. As in making planes and tanks the military doesn't even want but if those are cut people lose their jobs and a politician somewhere might get voted out of office. Can't let that happen!
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Re: Question about federal spending.

Post by Adex_Xeda »

Here's the speedometer over a longer span:
Image

http://taxfoundation.org/blog/deficits- ... get-window


Amazing how the same statistics can be manipulated to support opposing sides of an argument:

Democrat's fault!

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Republican's fault!

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Re: Question about federal spending.

Post by Winnow »

Good thing the Republican Party is around to keep our military strong.

Cutting the military budget by 75% would be catastrophic. We are the world police for a reason.

Russia is currently suffering big time because they invaded the Ukraine due to a strong U.S. Military. Of course, you'd probably respond "it's the saaanctions duuude", but those sanctions are enforceable because we have the military might to back them up. Russia would roll right back over it's former Soviet Union States with no U.S. to counter. Ask any former East German how they feel about that happening.

In the meantime, Russia is getting absolutely pummeled with sanctions and they are in the beginning of a deep recession thanks the The Unites States of America. Taiwan is still Taiwan thanks to the U.S. Military. Putin is (was) in conquest mode. Thanks to the U.S., he's got serious homeland issues to deal with now and all of Russia's foreign currency reserves are going up in smoke. Enjoy your 1.80/gallon gas while Russia's economy is destroyed by it at the same time. (sorry Canada, you guys are kind of fucked as well due to your dependance on oil for your economy)

Cutting the US defense budget by 75% would cause world chaos and leave the US (and rest of the western world) in a seriously fucked position. Of course, I'm sure you didn't think that 75% figure through or maybe are living in some fantasy land in your head. Do you think terror attacks would stop if we pulled out of the Middle East? Of course you do, because you have no foresight.

Now, on the flip side, In my "America kicks your country's ass" thread, I've detailed super weapons being developed by the United States that are much cheaper yet more effective than current cruise missiles, etc. It's looking like we'll be able to trim a little weapons budget due to our military's superior research and development budget. For the same military budget or slightly less, we should be able to keep kicking serious ass around the globe with less American casualties. We can effectively kill remotely now and actually have a shortage of drone pilots. I'd keep our military budget the same but divert more money to R&D to continue making more effective, cheaper, remote weapons. Saves American lives and keeps the homeland safe.

The democrats (Jimmy Carter) cut our defense budget and then Iran Hostage (1979-1980) took place and, once elected, Ronald Reagan did the right thing and made The Unites States THE super power in the world. You can't stop war but a strong United States make for less of it and smaller conflicts as opposed to World War III.

As whiny as Euros are, they recognize the benefit of a strong America.

The defense budget possibly can be reduced by smarter weapon platform choices in the future. 20 $100M Drones instead of 1 Manned $2 Billion bomber for example. Feel free to target defense contract corruption. I'm all for addressing that but not for weakening it. Maybe encourage more technology sharing between the military and NASA.
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Re: Question about federal spending.

Post by Spang »

Adex_Xeda wrote:Would you personally be willing to give up a benefit program like social security, or an aircraft carrier to help balance the ledger?
After social security was enacted, the poverty rate for elderly people plummeted, so 'No' to social security.

The United States spends an obscene amount of money on national defense, so 'Yes' to aircraft carrier.

Additionally, the United States spends way too much money on healthcare, so I'd like to see that entire industry overhauled, replaced with a not-for-profit, single-payer healthcare system.
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Re: Question about federal spending.

Post by Leonaerd »

willing to
require the ultra-rich to support the (local?) community.
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Re: Question about federal spending.

Post by Funkmasterr »

Spang wrote:
Adex_Xeda wrote:Would you personally be willing to give up a benefit program like social security, or an aircraft carrier to help balance the ledger?
After social security was enacted, the poverty rate for elderly people plummeted, so 'No' to social security.

The United States spends an obscene amount of money on national defense, so 'Yes' to aircraft carrier.

Additionally, the United States spends way too much money on healthcare, so I'd like to see that entire industry overhauled, replaced with a not-for-profit, single-payer healthcare system.
I agree. It caused me physical pain to type that.
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Re: Question about federal spending.

Post by Aabidano »

Social security is a bad example, it's not an entitlement. That's an investment by the US workforce that also benefits the disabled - though a small minority of the "disabled" can be argued. If the politicians could keep their fingers out of the money and stop giving themselves "loans" to pay for pork with no proposed means to repay it... Also known as stealing in any other circumstance.

Healthcare is a huge drag on our economy, the whole Obamacare debacle was driven by insurance and healthcare billionaires.

By contrast Mexico is expecting to have a national healthcare system by 2016, the estimated benefit to their GDP is pretty significant.
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