Is there anything we can scrap, at least for four years, safely? To keep our libertarian friend above happy. Yes.
The Lewis book (link inmy signature) outlines a lot of necessary departements, which are there for our safety. Is there something we can slash safely for four years, at least? Yes, research. Medical research, drug research in colleges, many types of chemistry (think Lithium batteries) and countless practical fields are funded by the USA. Graduate student scholarships to do research. All that can be scrapped. Industry does not invent new chemical reactions, for example (many can't be patented, they are there for common good). All that will need to be scrapped for now. And in the long run we will not be the leader in innovation anymore. China will be. They will also do many types of public constuction. We can't build the Hoover Dams that the future technology will need.
As bad as cutting those things sounds, I fear it's going to be worse than that. Those things, while expensive, do eventually result in new technologies and advancements which further economic progress by boosting industrial output and creating new and desirable products. It's a lot of public money spent, but private enterprise eventually reaps the benefits and makes money off it.
It's the things that cost money but produce no economic advantage that are most at risk. Healthcare benefits for people who aren't working, for starters. Medicare is the largest expense in the federal budget. While it's certainly
nice for those retirees to have covered or subsidized healthcare insurance, they're not producing a lot of economic advantage to shareholders by continuing to live and be healthy. They're not working so their income taxes aren't fattening the coffers. If they were to be reduced in number through dying off earlier that would save the government a lot of money it's currently spending, free up resources for the younger people who are paying more for them, and ease the housing market by increasing the supply of available housing. Ditto Social Security itself, and veteran's healthcare benefits. Slash all three and save not just billions, but hundreds of billions!
I don't see how soulless bastards like those who are about to be in charge of things could resist following through on that math. After all, the ultimate credo of the times is "I got mine, ◊◊◊◊ you" and they've got theirs. So ◊◊◊◊ us. Starting with the elderly because they're the most expensive and the most vulnerable.
And don't tell me "oh, the elderly vote a lot, so politicians won't touch them". They made their final necessary votes this time, the Boomers are dying out and losing influence each election. The bastards-in-charge have done the math, they know who's disposable now and they never choose kindess or loyalty over profit.
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