Where are the cuts?
So with respect to raising the debt ceiling and cutting spending we have several speeches and a news conference or two from the president, we have the so-called “Gang of Six” proposal from the Senate and we have House Speaker John Boehner’s plan. All call for spending cuts in some multiple of a trillion dollars.
So let me ask you something, where are the cuts? I mean really, what specifically is being cut? Aside from this or that number that is being bandied about, what money that is being spent today will not be spent tomorrow if one of these proposals is adopted? How many federal employees will be laid off? Which departments of the government will be consolidated? Which federal programs will be discontinued? Which subsidies will end?
All of the proposals you’re hearing about project savings over ten years with most of the savings in the “out years,” which is Washington-speak for “never.” Call up MasterCard and ask for a credit limit increase and tell them the money to pay them back will be coming in the “out years” and let me know how you do.
Until you hear shrieking government employees and outraged constituents of federal subsidies and breathless reporting of hardships resulting from the closing of this or that federal agency, know that any talk of spending cuts is just that; talk.
The country’s financial situation is serious. But the proposals for dealing with that problem still are not.
“Cut” in Washington speak = Reduction in the ALREADY approved future INCREASE due to “base line” budgeting. The base line goes up every year, automatically. In other words there are NO REAL CUTS, whatsoever. Remember, Washington has redefined the English language to fit their need for perpetual government growth. Their clever words are intended to fool us. They are NOT designed to communicate reality as we understand it.
There is a great deal of contention in the U.S. right now about the national budget, raising the debt ceiling, Social Security and Medicare. Many politicians are so narrow-minded that they can only see ‘their’ point of view. I have a solution to the Social Security/Medicare scandal. It is as follows:
1. Put the money paid in for Social Security and Medicare into their own account
• It can earn interest
• It won’t be in the ‘General Fund’ for Congress to abuse
2. Don’t reduce down to 4.2% the tax that employees pay into Social Security
3. Remove the cap for paying into Social Security for five years
• Currently employees only pay Social Security on the first $106,800.00
4. Give Congress and the House of Representatives a real job of how to slim down our national budget, pay down our debt, and finally be accountable for our own country and ‘all’ of its citizens
In my business, I have had the opportunity to talk to hundreds of people about how to fix Social Security. Even the few clients that I have that would be affected by my proposal wouldn’t mind paying the extra $2,000 to $4,000 if it meant shoring up Social Security.
The politicians will say it can’t be done because then there won’t be enough money in the general fund to pay for everything. Then they need to change their spending habits. Let’s take care of our own house before we give money to other countries.
Sandy Mason, The Tax Gal, Tyler, TX
Sandythetaxgal@gmail.com
It is all double speak and smoke and mirrors to make people think they are doing something because they know that the ones they are targeting are not going to stop and think about what is being said. They are not going to do the math. I believe we were told that “the can was not going to be kicked down the road anymore.” Looks like that is exactly what is being done. They are AFRAID to do the RIGHT thing.
I hope I am not hogging the blog with a new comment. Today, I heard an interview with Pete Sessions, one of the Conservative (North TX) Congressmen as he spoke in support of the latest budget proposal by Speaker of the House John Boehner. Sessions had the gall to equate Boehner’s “$1 trillion spending CUT” with the $1 trillion debt ceiling INCREASE to be given to barack to immediately spend over the next 9 months. I was disgusted beyond belief that Sessions would adopt the Washington leftist double-speak of the Socialists to fool us into believing that the Washington CUT (over ten years without saying so) was a real cut in spending.
The truth is that $9 trillion of additional deficit spending over ten years will occur given barack’s legislation already approved which is pushing the need for the budget ceiling increase, now. The bottom line is that Boehner is simply asking for a reduction of the $9 trillion down to $8 trillion over the ten year period. This is outrageous that our so-called Conservative representatives would resort to this Washington language and dishonestly convey a CUT when nothing of the sort is taking place. We should DEMAND honest communication from these people or get them out of office. As long as the Socialist/Marxists can hoodwink the Republicans and get 88% of their government growth spending agenda, we are sunk.
We need a simple flat tax or a national sales tax (w/ no income tax). No deductions, no exemptions. Everyone pays something, the “poor”, churches, businesses… everyone. If you aren’t paying then you have no “skin in the game” and you don’t care how the government spends your money or how much they take from you.
What we are seen in Washington is the most embarrassing act of irresponsibility and back room dealing I ever seen. Remember the Mafia Don’s and their family reunions? very much like what we see now in Washington what ever happen to do the peoples business out in the Chambers and openly discuss the matters at hand?
I really believe that we all be better off “Hiring managers” to replace Senators and Representatives because at least by paying them a salary we can then Fire them for nonperformance.
Jus think if you were to spend more than you earn if your debtors will wait for you to pay in the next 10 years, I think sometimes that my brain is going to explode, 9.2 percent unemployment, $3.55 for a gallon of gas, have you gone lately to the grocery?
Lift the ban on oil Drilling and boom there will be 1.4 million new jobs, is time to cut thru the bull and recognize that this President promise us to “fundamentally change the way americans live and he is doing it, can we live with 4 more years of this?
By the way Im not affiliated to any Political Party.
Victor J Sardina
Trophy Club
Texas