This Whole Debt Limit Thing

[Biscuit]

Well has it?

Well hasn't it? The question was if you think the government doesn't have to accomplish anything?

The rest of your post was fascinating but not germane.

 

[Kestrel]

I think that would be a bad idea. All those folks collecting their pension will be devastated to find out what is happening to them.

Cutting military spending when there's a war on will be very difficult indeed.

Never mind homeland security spending and so on.....

Oversimplifying the position like that doesn't help at all

When you see a business cut every department by a fixed percentage, it's a sign that management is clueless or lazy. Instead of determining what parts of their business are critical, what is redundant, and what parts are already being run efficiently, they take take the easy way out.

 

[Biscuit]

Too bad the GOP has a dogmatic object to increasing revenues or letting the Bush tax cuts ever expire.

The dogmatic objection seems to extend to government as a whole. Government seems to be able to do no good and only makes life worse in their eyes.

It's like they want us to fail.

 

[Biscuit]

When you see a business cut every department by a fixed percentage, it's a sign that management is clueless or lazy. Instead of determining what parts of their business are critical, what is redundant, and what parts are already being run efficiently, they take take the easy way out.

Exactly. A move like that is shortly followed by massive lay offs or a "going out of business sale" sign.

 

[Kestrel]

The dogmatic objection seems to extend to government as a whole. Government seems to be able to do no good and only makes life worse in their eyes.

It's like they want us to fail.

There is an exception. You seldom see the GOP complain about the military being inefficient or having a bloated budget. But if you look at the current budget, you will find funding for weapons systems that the Pentagon itself doesn't want or need.

 

[Bri]

There is an exception. You seldom see the GOP complain about the military being inefficient or having a bloated budget. But if you look at the current budget, you will find funding for weapons systems that the Pentagon itself doesn't want or need.

Not until a Democratic president got into office. Now you're seeing more and more Republicans against military spending. It's odd to see Democrats and Republicans on the same side on that issue.

-Bri

 

[AlBell]

There is an exception. You seldom see the GOP complain about the military being inefficient or having a bloated budget. But if you look at the current budget, you will find funding for weapons systems that the Pentagon itself doesn't want or need.

That is, they are pork-barrel for one or more congressperson(s).

 

[BenBurch]

Not until a Democratic president got into office. Now you're seeing more and more Republicans against military spending. It's odd to see Democrats and Republicans on the same side on that issue.

-Bri

I even heard one say (I kid you not) that the Military was more efficient under Bush, and that all of its deficits have happened only since Obama took office.

 

[ladmo]

Do we really need these agencies and/or commissions?

National Wild Horse and Burro Program, Children's Bureau, Healthy Marriage Initiative, Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Wage and Hour Division, Farm Credit Administration, National Ice Center, Senior Corps, Federal Financing Bank, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, and one of the most incompetent agencies Bureau of the Public Debt

These are only a handful of examples of hundreds of appointments that cost money. Each one by themselves has little impact on the total budget but if we were to add up all of the useless and redundant departments, eliminate the costs, we will work towards eliminating the deficit.

 

[Bri]

These are only a handful of examples of hundreds of appointments that cost money. Each one by themselves has little impact on the total budget but if we were to add up all of the useless and redundant departments, eliminate the costs, we will work towards eliminating the deficit.

I'm guessing that they add up to a miniscule percentage of the budget.

-Bri

 

[Kestrel]

Do we really need these agencies and/or commissions?

... and one of the most incompetent agencies Bureau of the Public Debt

This is the agency that manages selling, paying interest and redemption of US government securities. They didn't create the debt, they are just doing the job of managing it.

Yes, there are probably government agencies we can do without. The job of deciding which requires looking at the details and understanding exactly what function they perform. It's a lot harder than just doing a shot from the hip based on the agencies title.

 

[Kestrel]

I'm guessing that they add up to a miniscule percentage of the budget.

-Bri

Most of the people with simple solutions to our budget problems appear to have limited math skills.

 

[Kestrel]

I even heard one say (I kid you not) that the Military was more efficient under Bush, and that all of its deficits have happened only since Obama took office.

The budget numbers for the military did kick up after Obama took office. Bush kept the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars off the books, Obama included them in the budget. So Obama is paying the price for being honest.

 

[Kestrel]

That is, they are pork-barrel for one or more congressperson(s).

Yup.

The greatest example of this was the B1 Bomber. It has been reported that there was at least one contractor building parts in each of the 435 Congressional districts.

 

[Magyar]

And now the bankers have weighed in- default OR downgrade will be an economic disaster. They say it will raise all consumer debt that is variable rate including mortgages and credit cards.

I know how I would run against the GOP next year; "Have your credit card payments gone up? You can thank a Republican Congressman."

If I was a conspiricy nut I woould say that this whole thing from the GOP was manufactured by their banker overloards to accomplish preicely that! After all
interest rates on credit cards and mortgages have been at a record low for nearly 5 years.


Just think of all the profit the banks are losing. Now they'll have an excuse on why your credit cards have to go to 30% and their hands are clean.

 

[Magyar]

We outnumber the rich when people are counted, but politicians seem to count dollars instead.

unfortunately there are still millions, despite ALL evidence to the contrary (and all you have to do is look at posters in this thread) who still believe in the mem of strickle down who will take up arms against you to protect those who are raping ind pillaging this country.

 

[ladmo]

This is the agency that manages selling, paying interest and redemption of US government securities. They didn't create the debt, they are just doing the job of managing it.

Yes, there are probably government agencies we can do without. The job of deciding which requires looking at the details and understanding exactly what function they perform. It's a lot harder than just doing a shot from the hip based on the agencies title.

Not going by titles... wrong assumption. My cousin works for this agency and she says that it is all pushing paper and not generating any revenue. By the time her office is engaged, the buying and selling are already completed. When I say that it is incompetent is because there is no added value and mostly burden. The transactions could easily be completed at the POS... just like retailers complete their transactions in collecting taxes for the IRS.

 

[Kestrel]

unfortunately there are still millions, despite ALL evidence to the contrary (and all you have to do is look at posters in this thread) who still believe in the mem of strickle down who will take up arms against you to protect those who are raping ind pillaging this country.

At lunch today, a guy at the next table said that if Congress raised the debt ceiling, the US economy would collapse. He got it backwards, but nobody at that table knew enough to point out the error.

Part of the problem is with the press. The situation right now is that the Democrats are presenting Republican solutions to the problem. The Republicans are countering with Republican solutions which the Tea Party Freshmen are rejecting because the cuts are merely draconian. Obama's proposal made him look like he changed parties, but the press is reporting this as neither side is compromising. What the hell have they been smoking?

 

[BenBurch]

Kestrel, disasters sell newpapers.

 

[mhaze]

Yup.

The greatest example of this was the B1 Bomber. It has been reported that there was at least one contractor building parts in each of the 435 Congressional districts.

Shows how much you know about geographical dispersion of aircraft parts, number of parts, and required redundancy for many....your claim of pork is not supported by such facts.