GOP outlines 2.5 Trillion in spending cuts (none to defense)

I'm not happy to see zero defense cuts but I'm happy that there are some discussions to get the ball rolling. It's not a GoP or a democrat issue about defense spending either. No matter who is in charge the military industrial has it's arm wrapped tight around Washington and they won't get squeezed for funding. I had high hopes that Obama would end the wars but seeing as how it has been business as usual with further expansions by the TSA and continued foreign policy I've come to the realization that we're forever indebted to our defense industry. At least Clinton had the balls to do what he did in downsizing but I don't think it will happen again any time soon.

 

I am sure they are too busy unfurling their newly purchased Gadsden flag....http://www.gadsdenandculpeper.com/

 

Has the GOP leadership considered how many jobs will be killed with these spending cuts?

 

They're too busy creating jobs to worry about how many jobs they'd kill. Oh, wait.

 

That's one of the few items they didn't even attempt to put a price tag on. I guess it's because virtually every study done by anyone not right of the Heritage Foundation clearly shows that contracting out government work is more expensive. But hey, got to reward those government contractors that contribute to the GOP.

 

I think this is the post that everyone should be focusing on. This proposal is nonsense - it cuts a net of about $30B per year just by cutting a bunch of stuff that the GOP has been railing on recently (Amtrak, PBS, arts, etc). And it avoids all the hard decisions on defense, Medicare, and Social Security. In other words, it does nothing to fix any of the key drivers of the escalating budget problems. The discretionary stuff they are trying to cut has always been flat over the last 10-20 years in relation to the economy - that's not driving any of our problems and eliminating them does nothing to fix any of the problems.

Even their fake initial budget proposal that won't even get voted on punted on all the big issues.

 

Wow, there are some really stupid people on this board. Humanities education represents the foundation of western civilization, and I'm pretty sure everyone here is a fan of western civilization on one level or another.

 

i loled

For those who study economics, mohair subsidies are basically the epitome of market inefficiency when faced with rent-seeking from special interests.

Still, it's only one million dollars-but I'm heartened that someone finally got rid of it. Can't help myself from a parting shot though->the subsidy was re-proposed by a Republican, and it largely passed because of its' affiliation of previous military use, even though the military has long since proceeded to use synthetics. there's a lesson somewhere in there for Congress.

Conveniently ignores America's Economic Assistance to Israel, which is the largest portion of its' foreign aid budget. I don't have exact figures, but I know it's more then $250 million annually.

As for the rest of the proposed spending cuts-disastrous. Republicans are trying to avoid public anger by shying completely away from reworking the tax code, but if you're trying to cut discretionary spending without cutting down the three big cows of military, Medicare, and Social Security---these cuts will affect so many elements of society that you can't help but think that Americans will react-violently, once they realize how far-reaching and damaging these cuts are, especially to America's future as a competitor in the global market.

A quick example-

Cuts to the Technology Innovation Program
http://tipex.nist.gov/tippb/prjbriefs/listresults.cfm
(provides grants to high-risk R&D/engineering projects that cannot receive easy funding through capital markets-> cuts could imperil such things as the development of more efficient lithium-ion batteries and innovative techniques to tackle the problem of crumbling infrastructure in America)

I'm sure if you go through each one individually, you realize the scope of the damage the Republican Party is proposing. Sure, some of you may scoff this off as "phooey, less arts and humanities"->without realizing that much more may be at stake here.

 

The loss of arts and humanities subsidies would be a disaster. Without an viable avenue for the study of human culture, we will be forced to reinvent the wheel every generation--a sick Sisyphean fate. Science would be degenerated into religion, the more thoughtful religious impulses (rare as they may be) would be degenerated into superstition. This will exacerbate the disparity between the poor and the rich; the latter would still have access to the collected wisdom of the past, while the former would become even more deeply dependent on an educated managerial class. Such a class, unburdened by competition, would quickly descend into decadence and the pursuit superfluous projects.

 

be that as it may (I tend to agree with you), I think it would speak more to a certain type of person that these spending cuts encompass elements of the hard sciences as well.

 

That was kinda my first blush too. I don't actually have much trouble with the 100 program cuts they mentioned. I'm sure each one has defenders who would quibble over them, but at least these were specific, measurable, actionable, and time-bound (I don't know about realistic). But it sounds like the lion-share is either unspecified or they want to apply a blanket reduction that doesn't take any consideration of the impacts on individual programs. That's just bad management. And the republican refusal to consider cuts to military spending is some kind of mental disorder.

 

Quoted to highlight a great point.

 

http://www.minnpost.com/globalpost/...ailed_peace_talks_us_aid_to_israel_questioned

This says $3b/year. But it's all military, which repubs obviously don't want to cut.

 

BTW, where is basso, esteban, bigtexxx, justtxyank, rtsy, etc?

 

Was this a quote from your dissertation or one you are reading? :grin:

...just jokes....

 

LOL yea I feel the same way as you about all those BS programs.

But the funny thing is sweetlou somehow from that list deduced that the REPUBLICANS want to take away from the bottom 2/3.
Hmm endowments of the arts, humanities, federal travel budget, printing services, etc is really taking away from the bottom 2/3s.

 

I want it CUT CUT CUT!! cut that crap out..

Why is it a Repub vs Democrat thing again????
Neither side will cut that crap out. Let's not forget most Jews are Democrats not Republicans.

 

Wow...drop it like it's hot....

 

In tough times things need to be cut. What do you propose tax more people so we can give jobs to everyone. Even jobs that no add no value and is basically just funded by other people?

How come you don't complain about all the jobs that will be lost by defense spending cuts?

By the way I am all for cutting spending in defense. Now only if the Dems or the Repubs have the balls to do it.

 

Hilarious. HAY GUYZ, LETZ REPEEL OBAMACARE AND FIRE 320,000 MOAR SHEEPLE. WE SAVE 2.5 TRILLIONZ! YAY