How would you balance the budget?

[LBJefferies]

I found this cool budget balancer thingy. You can check/uncheck boxes for certain things which you think should be cut or added to the budget. The goal is get debt down to 60% of gdp. Check it out!

http://crfb.org/stabilizethedebt/#

P.S. - It's really hard and you will probably get pissed off and give up like I did.

[mrsleeve]

I got down to 52% of gdp with out cutting Military or defense, NASA, Highway and keeping tax cuts and lowering the Corporate taxes to 30% and keeping the earned abroad tax free.

Its not hard at all. Just have to make people be responsible for them selves

am for doing good to the poor, but...I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed...that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer. -Ben Franklin

[pbr87]

legalize and tax prostitution and marijuana.

[LBJefferies]

legalize and tax prostitution and marijuana.

You're crazy if you think that would balance the budget, not even close.

[M-technik-3]

Online gambling would be run by Fed's to prevent money from going offshore would help. Cancel free money to many of our countries that continue to ask for a hand out, ax P.R. non tax status saying join and pay taxes or be your own independant state....

Reduce lobbiest access to congress which might cut back on pork barrel spending. Many things out there congress just needs to remember WHO they work for! allow me to vote on their pay raise and allowances.

Not themselves, finish legislating before dropping the ball and going on vacations and get out and visit their districts.

[dvs909]

You're crazy if you think that would balance the budget, not even close.

wow, we agree.

[KenC]

I am for doing good to the poor, but...I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed...that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer. -Ben Franklin

Ben Franklin died before the train, car, antibiotics, computer, and just about every other modern luxury we take for granted. Although his ethos transcends time to some degree, expenses today far exceed those of his time, as does the average life expectancy and well... the complexity of society in general (unless you're a "Rand" worshiper and don't believe in society.)
The world, and most importantly our country, is a dynamic environment and social evolution has changed drastically since the time of the Founding Fathers. I find it had to take their word as gospel, as they could never have predicted the complexity of modern society.


Regarding the budget, for 2010 the military budget is $78,000,000 per HOUR.

[pbr87]

You're crazy if you think that would balance the budget, not even close.

How many people do you know that smoke weed?

How many people do you know that like to fuck?

Use a little imagination. It would likely generate a budget surplus. Problem is, the bible belt would never allow it.

[pbr87]

Ben Franklin died before the train, car, antibiotics, computer, and just about every other modern luxury we take for granted. Although his ethos transcends time to some degree, expenses today far exceed those of his time, as does the average life expectancy and well... the complexity of society in general (unless you're a "Rand" worshiper and don't believe in society.)
The world, and most importantly, is a dynamic environment and social evolution has changed drastically since the time of the Founding Fathers. I find it had to take their word as gospel, as they could never have predicted the complexity of modern society.


Regarding the budget, for 2010 the military budget is $78,000,000 per HOUR.

So....$683,280,000,000 is the 2010 FY military budget? Seems a little high, but I'll take your word for it.

[KenC]

legalize and tax prostitution and marijuana.

The problem with prostitution is that VERY few women (outside of those highclass Vegas call girls) are "selling themselves" out of their own free will; they're either coerced with threats of violence or provided drugs by their pimps. At least here in Portland, the "industry" is linked with meth and other illegal activities.

[KenC]

So....$683,280,000,000 is the 2010 FY military budget? Seems a little high, but I'll take your word for it.

$663bil for 2010... I guess rounding up from $77.XXmil inflated it more than I predicted.

[rwh11385]

Eliminate minimum wage, cut corporate tax level, keep Bush tax cuts, and stop trying to find ways to spend our way out of debt or buy jobs back here.

Playing with the simulation is fun, but putting new parts on a poorly running engine won't make it spin like a top. If there's a restrictor in place, no big shiny air filter cone will help more than removing that... if there's a leak in the fuel line, a new fuel pump won't aid much. Let youngsters work for $6/hour, make US-based business feel more attractive than it is currently, and let people spend or invest their own money rather than deciding what you'd rather do with it as government and it will come back to being strong... then don't mess with it.

[KenC]

Eliminate minimum wage, cut corporate tax level, keep Bush tax cuts, and stop trying to find ways to spend our way out of debt or buy jobs back here.

Playing with the simulation is fun, but putting new parts on a poorly running engine won't make it spin like a top. If there's a restrictor in place, no big shiny air filter cone will help more than removing that... if there's a leak in the fuel line, a new fuel pump won't aid much. Let youngsters work for $6/hour, make US-based business feel more attractive than it is currently, and let people spend or invest their own money rather than deciding what you'd rather do with it as government and it will come back to being strong... then don't mess with it.

What's the rent on that textbook you live in?

How long for the housing market and food prices to respond to a dive in the per capita income? Even professional wages are a reflection of what "commoners" can afford to pay them.

[Wiglaf]

weed+whores would help.. pulling in tax on money being spent under the table and lifting the load off of authorities sucking up money over "the war on drugs".

But if you think that will balance the budget you are either overestimating weed or underestimating the budget.

[M-technik-3]

The problem with prostitution is that VERY few women (outside of those highclass Vegas call girls) are "selling themselves" out of their own free will; they're either coerced with threats of violence or provided drugs by their pimps. At least here in Portland, the "industry" is linked with meth and other illegal activities.

Human Trafficking. While legal in many countries in EU prostitution really doesn't have women who say I want to sell my body on daily basis lining up for an interview.

We just need to buck up and stop asking for a rebate check each year. Hold onto your own money and pay at the end of the year your taxes you owe. The IRS sending out paper checks is an expensive operation, for that matter maybe if some of the rich members in congress would pay their taxes instead of saying oops I over looked that the last 4-5 years...

Make people accountable for their actions, honestly have you noticed the oil companies laying of price gouging ? I think they are fearing backlash from the Gulf of Mexico hurting their bottom line.

Grass roots folks get involved in your community. Lets stop being a herd and lead for a change.