tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32512109.post3770034882560602335..comments2024-03-27T11:10:52.382-07:00Comments on On My Mind: Cut The NonsenseJayhawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00756807802218022043noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32512109.post-22763910105891672622011-02-17T11:45:40.575-08:002011-02-17T11:45:40.575-08:00The deficit is a real problem, and everyone is dan...The deficit is a real problem, and everyone is dancing around it. We need to spend less, increase revenue and preferably both.<br /><br />The first thing to go is the idea that you can get something for nothing - like services without paying for them. Everyone should pay something. I know, I know, students, people at poverty levels, the unemployed, etc may not have income or enough of it to pay anything. The idea is for everyone to have some sort of involvement is the solution.<br /><br />Politicians have been saying this BS for years and so many people have bought into it, and it is just as much their fault as any other. It defies logic that you can just spend money and not have it come from somewhere. Lottery? people pay into that. Welfare, subsidies, food stamps, etc? Taxes. Taxes? People pay them. If recent history of economics doesn;t teach you something nothing will. Of course, politicians need to stop saying we can lower taxes (they say this to get votes) and keep services, etc. Do we have any economists in Congress? Anyone with a clear idea of a balance sheet?<br /><br />Same with many /most /all? corporate subsidies. A subsidy AND a tax break? No. Corporation should be paying (fair) business taxes. Just like individuals, fair, without so many breaks that erodes that fairness. Too many breaks, deductions, exemptions, blah blah makes the tax code too complicated. That ought to be reformed and simplified as well.<br /><br />The Rubs and to a lesser extent the Dems are talking cuts, but they are not cutting enough and not from the biggest money pits. You cannot make some things off limits and expect cutting shavings elsewhere to work.<br /><br />The Defense budget is probably the biggest thing that cuts can come from. Sec. Gates is trying very hard to cut BS from here and I applaud that, but there is more than can be done. here are a lot of programs and equipment that there simnply is not a need for. <br /><br />The brass doesn't like it, but they can be told to get with the program or get out. The politicians don't like it becasue it gives jobs in thier districts, but does a local issue take precedent over a national one?<br /><br />If Social Security is not an issue, why does everyone keep talking about it? Before you blow a gasket, yes I know you've talked about this ad nauseum. I'm still not convinced it won't be a problem AT SOME POINT, just perhaps not right now.<br /><br />Medicare & Medicaid need reform as a part of the whole health care system. That is a subject all by itself with it's own multi-part set of problems and solutions. Fix the whole issue, the Medicare /Medicaid part will certainly come with that.<br /><br />Bottom line is it will take both a large axe to the budget, and a large hammer to the heads of those who need to get a clue about how budgets work. That includes the public and politicians, neither of which can afford to obfusticate about it or have their heads in the sand.<br /><br />I may be pessimistic here, but I am not holding out a lot of hope in this area. I hope it doesn;t take a Greek meltdown to make it happen.brucenoreply@blogger.com