We need to start holding the federal government to the 10th amendment. That will cut an easy 60% in taxes. We need to run the military more efficiently. We don't need to drop 100 $500k bombs when 3 or 4 can kill just as many innocent civilians. I believe in social programs, but they need to be state sponsored. We have many federal regulatory programs, and perhaps we need them, such as the FDA and FCC. If we need them, then add an amendment. States need to learn to work together instead of leaving it to a handful of people in washington. Right now, we are trying to run the government like California and New York, two prime examples of a system not working. Instead of trying to wreck all 50 states, let each one decide their own methods. It can be argued that lowering taxes doesn't help, but there is no argument that raising taxes does. We need to quit finding ways to tax people only to create more spending.
I voted for him because I thought he was a pragmatist and he spoke about fiscal responsibility and making sure our kids don't inherit our debt. This was the thing that bothered me about Bush - was the reckless way he treated the budget. It won't be a great accomplishment if it comes with adding to a trillion dollar deficit. Obama's predictions on the economic growth have been called grossly optimistic. First he should fix the economy - taxing to cover a health care program isn't going to do that, it's going to be a net drag. Yes, there are many people who need health coverage - but I will say that medicare and medicaid kinda suck too. A gov't plan will not allow folks to see the same doctors as premium plans do. Fact is, health care is a high cost. Someone has to pay for it. And right now, you can't put that burden on taxpayers or companies. The economy is in a fragile spot, and we already have massive deficits. I think it's unwise. There should be a provision that national health coverage can not begin until the budget is balanced for a given fiscal year.
He doesn't have a shot at getting it passed right now. He should have learned from Hillary's mistakes. He's fighting the right battle but at the wrong time. People need jobs and belief in the economy. Cut the deficit and then pass health care reform. Fine. I don't care how you cut it, but it will have to be through spending cuts. You can't raise taxes right now. Good luck trying to cut military spending, or any other program significantly though. Although, if Obama came in with a total package in which every program got cut until our budget was balanced, I think he'd find a lot of popularity from Republicans and voters alike. But he doesn't seem willing to piss off his allies.
Yeah, the Jimmy Carter years of double digit inflation, 20% mortgage rate and 70% top income bracket were much better. God you are such an idiot.
the percentage of the economy that is government spending is what hurts the economy. Whether the govt. has a balanced budget or not is pretty irrelevant. Every "dollar" the govt. borrows to spend is a dollar the private sector can't borrow and spend. (either in fact or by inflation) A huge deficit is generally just indicative of a huge spending problem. In other words the govt. could tax 100% of all money and spend 100% of all money and we'd have a balanced budget but still have a horrible economy because we'd have no private sector.
Nice to see Obama (and congress) take my advice and start to cut a bloated military budget today A good start Obama, Congress Roll Back F-22 Production...
How about allow the sale of surplus HMMWV to civilians instead of cutting them up. Or expanding the CMP program.
