Vette Barn PRC Challenge: Slash Spending and Balance the Budget

[Will]

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to cut enough spending to balance the U.S. Federal Budget




National Defense: $693,856
Veterans Benefits: $108,384
Social Security: $706,737
Income Security: $622,210
Medicare: $451,636
Health: $369,054
Education, Social Services, etc.: $127,710
International Affairs: $45,195
Science, Space, Technology: $31,047
Energy: $11,613
Natural Resources/Environment: 43,662
Agriculture: $21,356
Transportation: $91,972
Community Development: $23,804
Interest: $196,194
Justice: $53,436
General Government: $23,031


Your Mission: TRY TO CUT $1,400,000 to eliminate the deficit.

Format your plan as follows:

1) Copy the above list. Replace existing $ amounts with your $ amounts. In parentheses, put the $amount SAVED in BLACK, or INCREASED in RED if you decide to increase spending in any areas.

2) Below that, Copy the list again, and replace $ amounts with any text you wish briefly explaining your decision or how money will be saved.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------


For demonstration, my answer:


National Defense: $300,000 ($393,856 Savings)
Veterans Benefits: $100,000 ($8,384 Savings)
Social Security: $500,000 ($206,737 Savings)
Income Security: $400,000 ($222,210 Savings)
Medicare: $500,000 ($48,364 Increase)
Health: $0 ($369,054 Savings)
Education, Social Services, etc.: $47,710 ($80,000 Savings)
International Affairs: $20,000 ($25,195 Savings)
Science, Space, Technology: $100,000 ($68,953 Increase)
Energy: $0 ($11,613 Savings)
Natural Resources/Environment: $20,000 ($23,662 Savings)
Agriculture: $0 ($21,356 Savings)
Transportation: $20,000 ($71,972 Savings)
Community Development: $0 ($23,804 Savings)
Interest: $196,194
Justice: $40,000 ($13,436 Savings)
General Government: $20,000 ($3,031 Savings)


TOTAL SAVINGS: $1,356,993


National Defense: Revert to Year 2000 levels of spending, withdraw from Afghanistan, Iraq, Germany, etc. and reassign remaining affordable troops from these areas to bases along the Mexican border.

Veterans Benefits: Very small cut. Can be achieved through administrative efficiency and lay-offs.

Social Security: Cap Benefits at 50% of the current max & means test perhaps?

Income Security: Abolish all welfare and replace with "workfare" watch the need for welfare suddenly and mysteriously plummet. $400,000 would be where we are at in this spending of the rate of growth had remained constant after 2008, instead of exploding in 2009 and 2010.

Medicare: Increase to half a Trillion, abolish all other federal healthcare programs and legilsation, assuming 100 million Americans can't get insured for reasons of poverty or illness, you can provide each with $5,000 of help. Abolish Obamacare but re-pass the provisions of it that prevent insurers from cherry picking or charging any one customer more than double another.

Health: Abolish. See above.

Education, Social Services, etc.: Abolish Dept. of Education

International Affairs: Revert to 19th century isolationism as much as possible

Science, Space, Technology: Increase here to save elsewhere with medical, scientific, computer advancements & also increase revenue in the long term by providing technological advancements that will lead to economic productivity.

Energy: Abolish Dept. of Energy

Natural Resources/Environment: Mandate a move to cellulosic ethanol over a 10 year period for all passenger vehicles & semis. Abolish the EPA.

Agriculture: Abolish Dept. Agriculture

Transportation: Oversee Mainatainance, upkeep, and expansion of interstate highways ONLY, perform NO other duties.

Community Development: Abolish

Interest: Cannot Cut until National Debt is reduced

Justice: Lay-off some DOJ lawyers. Stop paying them to work light work weeks by lawyer standards. Cap pay at median income given the sweet retirement packages and job security, which are a fair Trade-off for lower salary than private sector.

General Government: Small trimming, efficiency.



:dance:

[ChasC5]

You should be trying to get campaign dollars; screw this internet moderator thing. Beside, the Republican Party can use anyone with more than a pulse and and is breathing air.

Your a shoe-in :cheers:

[Will]

:waiting:

[Entropy]

I'll try to take some time this afternoon to work on this if I get a chance.

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by 2010 Federal Spending

National Defense: $393,856
Veterans Benefits: $0
Social Security: $706,737
Income Security: $0
Medicare: $0
Health: $0
Education, Social Services, etc.: $0
International Affairs: $0
Science, Space, Technology: $31,047
Energy: $0
Natural Resources/Environment:0
Agriculture: $0
Transportation: $0
Community Development: $0
Interest: $0
Repudiate the debt....issue new currency...reset the computers, screw the big international bankers....



Justice: $23,436
General Government: $13,031

[ChasC5]

Ok that's cool ... :cheers:

Why can't these idiot in Washington do that? :confused5:


Well ... maybe because it's a little more complicated ... as they would say. :D

[ChasC5]

Are you going to participate or just post more :bs: troll?

Hay stupid ... if you can read, I agreed to your post. :rofl:

You're so busy trying to start shit, you can't see past it. :lol:

[mrvette]

Ok that's cool ... :cheers:

Why can't these idiot in Washington do that? :confused5:


Well ... maybe because it's a little more complicated ... as they would say. :D

:lol: they should know that their bullshit is seen by the public at large as just THAT......bullshit....

it's easy to cut the budget, and any of them give me a hard time over it, I"d go public on their asses.....

[ChasC5]

:lol: they should know that their bullshit is seen by the public at large as just THAT......bullshit....

it's easy to cut the budget, and any of them give me a hard time over it, I"d go public on their asses.....

They are "paid servants" ... unfortunately they are paid more by Big Business and Lobbyist.

[Will]

If anyone wants an excel spread sheet (.xls or .xlsx) let me know I'll be happy to provide.

:cheers:

You could probably just attach it to the thread so anyone who wants it can download it.

Thanks !!! :cheers:

[ChasC5]

1. It sure didn't look/sound like it.

2. It's not more complicated than that.

3. Where's YOUR proposed budget cuts troll? :skep: :toetap:

When I get some time ... I will :cheers:

[ChasC5]

You could probably just attach it to the thread so anyone who wants it can download it.

Thanks !!! :cheers:

That would same me some time. :cheers:

[Will]

OK. NEW excel files WILL NOT ATTACH.

You have to re-save the excel file in 2003 format (.xls) in order to attach to a post if you are using a newer version of excel.

:cheers:

[ChasC5]

All I have time for ... :cheers:


National Defense: Revert to Year 2000 levels of spending, withdraw from Afghanistan, Iraq, Germany, etc. and reassign remaining affordable troops from these areas to bases along the Mexican border. Totally Agree

Veterans Benefits: Very small cut. Can be achieved through administrative efficiency and lay-offs. Totally Agree

Social Security: Cap Benefits at 50% of the current max & means test perhaps? Sure

Income Security: Abolish all welfare and replace with "workfare" watch the need for welfare suddenly and mysteriously plummet. $400,000 would be where we are at in this spending of the rate of growth had remained constant after 2008, instead of exploding in 2009 and 2010. I’m willing to try and see what really happens. If someone would have said that 10 years ago, we'd have some results to see.

Medicare: Increase to half a Trillion, abolish all other federal healthcare programs and legilsation, assuming 100 million Americans can't get insured for reasons of poverty or illness, you can provide each with $5,000 of help. Abolish Obamacare but re-pass the provisions of it that prevent insurers from cherry picking or charging any one customer more than double another. If someone has a better idea, I’m for it and not from the people who choose to do nothing for decades.

Health: Abolish. See above. Cool

Education, Social Services, etc.: Abolish Dept. of Education – I disagree … the day we choose to stop investing in our people will be a sad day. If we don’t care who will?

International Affairs: Revert to 19th century isolationism as much as possible Who needs it anyway. Sure

Science, Space, Technology: Increase here to save elsewhere with medical, scientific, computer advancements & also increase revenue in the long term by providing technological advancements that will lead to economic productivity. Agree

Energy: Abolish Dept. of Energy – Disagree, the only what we get out of a hole is stop digging. If we can go to the Moon, we can handle this. The Kennedy's wouldn't think this way

Natural Resources/Environment: Mandate a move to cellulosic ethanol over a 10 year period for all passenger vehicles & semis. Abolish the EPA. Ok cool

Agriculture: Abolish Dept. Agriculture – Thank God

Transportation: Oversee Mainatainance, upkeep, and expansion of interstate highways ONLY, perform NO other duties. I’ve driven from coast to coast and I’ve seen firsthand what happens when you leave it up to the state.

Community Development: Abolish – Fine with me, just don’t bitch about who moves next door.

Interest: Cannot Cut until National Debt is reduced Yep

Justice: Lay-off some DOJ lawyers. Stop paying them to work light work weeks by lawyer standards. Cap pay at median income given the sweet retirement packages and job security, which are a fair Trade-off for lower salary than private sector. Yea sounds good

General Government: Small trimming, efficiency. Same

[ChasC5]

Let the states handle it. :yesnod:



Let the states, universities and private companies do it. Private sector is much better at solving the problems.



Let state and local communities handle this. Bitching can still take place.


My responses to your disagreements.

A hearty thanks for a good response. :cheers:

I AGREE WITH YOU :yesnod:

[Will]

:grouphug:

[ChasC5]

What kind of jacked up company makes a forum where files since 2003 aren't supported. :leaving:

Nothing a little Java Code can't fix. :D

[Will]

C'mon, lets see some more ideas. :cheers:

[BuckyThreadkiller]

So you've killed off all food and drug safety and testing by dissolving the HHS and the Ag department.
But that won't really matter because you've also eliminated all oversite of the nuclear power industry and the entire control backbone of the aviation industry.

Quality work there Will.

[DAB]

Originally Posted by 2010 Federal Spending

National Defense: $693,856 new $400,000
Veterans Benefits: $108,384 new $100,000
Social Security: $706,737 no change
Income Security: $622,210 new $0
Medicare: $451,636 new $ 200,000
Health: $369,054 new $150,000
Education, Social Services, etc.: $127,710 new $0
International Affairs: $45,195 new $0
Science, Space, Technology: $31,047 new $10,000
Energy: $11,613 new $0
Natural Resources/Environment: 43,662 new $10,000
Agriculture: $21,356 new $0
Transportation: $91,972 new $50,000
Community Development: $23,804 new $0
Interest: $196,194 no change
Justice: $53,436 new $35,000
General Government: $23,031 new $14,000

new total spending: $1,871,931

will edit tomorrow with details.

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by 2010 Federal Spending

National Defense: $693,856 new $400,000
Veterans Benefits: $108,384 new $100,000
Social Security: $706,737 no change
Income Security: $622,210 new $0
Medicare: $451,636 new $ 200,000
Health: $369,054 new $150,000
Education, Social Services, etc.: $127,710 new $0
International Affairs: $45,195 new $0
Science, Space, Technology: $31,047 new $10,000
Energy: $11,613 new $0
Natural Resources/Environment: 43,662 new $10,000
Agriculture: $21,356 new $0
Transportation: $91,972 new $50,000
Community Development: $23,804 new $0
Interest: $196,194 no change
Justice: $53,436 new $35,000
General Government: $23,031 new $14,000

new total spending: $1,871,931

will edit tomorrow with details.

So what you’re saying in little or no investment in America?

Those products we leave languishing in the streets will come home to roost; that we all know is a reoccurring FACT.

I for one was a recipient of Community Service and Service Provider that was extremely helpful in shaping my life. Those services were abruptly cut by the Reagan Administration. Luckily I made it through the cracks of Raganonmics, but a far greater percentage didn’t. America paid for that choice Billions of times over in the Failure on the War on Drugs. We through good money after stupid decisions.

In the end, America saved absolutely nothing, and we’re all still paying for those stupid decisions in the Judicial, Penal, and Health Care Systems … if we’re lucky. Unfortunately many were possibly the Victims of you and I friends and family.

I will always be in favor of investing in America, because if we don’t, no one will and that will be the end of America. :yesnod:

JMO – Please feel free to flame. :cheers:

[LATB]

So what you’re saying in little or no investment in America?

Those products we leave languishing in the streets will come home to roost; that we all know is a reoccurring FACT.

I for one was a recipient of Community Service and Service Provider that was extremely helpful in shaping my life. Those services were abruptly cut by the Reagan Administration. Luckily I made it through the cracks of Raganonmics, but a far greater percentage didn’t. America paid for that choice Billions of times over in the Failure on the War on Drugs. We through good money after stupid decisions.

In the end, America saved absolutely nothing, and we’re all still paying for those stupid decisions in the Judicial, Penal, and Health Care Systems … if we’re lucky. Unfortunately many were possibly the Victims of you and I friends and family.

I will always be in favor of investing in America, because if we don’t, no one will and that will be the end of America. :yesnod:

JMO – Please feel free to flame. :cheers:

excellent post Chas...I agree with war on drugs part. :yesnod:

details on the bold?

[ChasC5]

I too feel it's good to invest in America.

I disagree the gov't is the vest vehicle to do that.

There’s a difference … Vast no … Leadership Yes. Our Government needs to be accountable for the well-being of its people.

[LATB]

I'm not sure what you mean by this.

The way I see read it, the country was created to give people the opportunity to succeed or fail. Well-being is a individual's responsibility, not the government.

that's the difference between traditional conservative Americans...and progressive liberal Americans.

conservatives believe the gov has a responsibility to create an economic environment that gives citizens the ability "to pursue happiness"

liberals believe the gov has the responsibility to create an economic environment that gives citizens their happiness.

[ChasC5]

I fundamentally disagree … It’s not every Man Woman and Child for themselves. No one gets to choose who they are born to.

It’s America, and thankfully we have Bleeding Hart Americans who will all ways put its people first, second and last.

That’s how I feel. When our Country is in need, it has no problem getting help from its entire people … that should go both ways, not one way!

Because everyone knows; 9 times out of 10; that ain’t no Rich Privilege Grunt on the Front Line fighting for everyone liberty.

Yep … That’s the Liberal in me … and I don’t and won’t apologize for that. :cheers:

[LATB]

I fundamentally disagree … It’s not every Man Woman and Child for themselves. No one gets to choose who they are born to.

It’s America, and thankfully we have Bleeding Hart Americans who will all ways put its people first, second and last.

That’s how I feel. When our Country is in need, it has no problem getting help from its entire people … that should go both ways, not one way!

Because everyone knows; 9 times out of 10; that ain’t no Rich Privilege Grunt on the Front Line fighting for everyone liberty.

Yep … That’s the Liberal in me … and I don’t and won’t apologize for that. :cheers:

yes

the people

not the government

[ChasC5]

yes

the people

not the government

Our Government is comprised of its People; not Aliens from another Planet.

So why do we talk about them as someone from another Country?

[LATB]

Our Government is comprised of its People; not Aliens from another Planet.

So why do we talk about them as someone from another Country?

missed my point

American people are the most charitable & giving in the history of the world...they do not need the government to collect taxes and dole out the charity...

the folks are quite capable...and more efficient doing it themselves.

plus...folks can give to whom they feel is in need...much better than politicians promising entitlements to folks in exchange for votes.


btw Chas...thanks for playing along...see how much fun this can be. :cheers:

[ChasC5]

missed my point

American people are the most charitable & giving in the history of the world...they do not need the government to collect taxes and dole out the charity...

the folks are quite capable...and more efficient doing it themselves.

plus...folks can give to whom they feel is in need...much better than politicians promising entitlements to folks in exchange for votes.


btw Chas...thanks for playing along...see how much fun this can be. :cheers:

The different between Charity and Government help is the different between responsibility and accountability.

If we fail at our responsibility, we can say, oh well we tried.
If we fail at accountability, we will no longer exist.

Flintstones Vitamins :D :seeya:

[Will]

So you've killed off all food and drug safety and testing by dissolving the HHS and the Ag department.
But that won't really matter because you've also eliminated all oversite of the nuclear power industry and the entire control backbone of the aviation industry.

Quality work there Will.



Well, I over-simplified things by using super-functions instead of the detailed budget.

Add back in $24 Billion for the FAA, FDA, and Nuclear Regulatory, based on their 2010 and 2011 budgets.


TOTAL SAVINGS: $1,332,993

[LATB]

The different between Charity and Government help is the different between responsibility and accountability.

If we fail at our responsibility, we can say, oh well we tried.
If we fail at accountability, we will no longer exist.

Flintstones Vitamins :D :seeya:

I guess this is the difference between mindsets...

I believe private charity can...for the most part, aid those who are truly in need.

You believe it's the gov's job to do so with tax payers dollars.

My position is, the private funds would be more accountable than gov funds for charity because folks will be spending their own money...and politicians are spending someone else's.

plus...the folks are not buying votes with entitlements.

again, thanks for the opinion. :cheers:

[ChasC5]

I was following along but you lost me on this one.

IMHO Charities are just as accountable (if not more so) than the government.

How are you going to call for the next disaster? :confused5:

US Army Corps of Engineers - HQ (http://www.usace.army.mil/Pages/default.aspx)

[Will]

Bumparoo. Still some folks here that haven't stepped up to the plate. :cheers:

[Will]

B-U-M-P


Very topical these days....

[Joecooool]

Cut all the programs by 15%, cancel the Bush tax cuts, close corporate loop holes and give tax cheats serious jail time not probation.

[BuckyThreadkiller]

Well make your proposal. :cheers:

I don't have the time, the data, nor the ability to do it with any accuracy.

BUT --
If I could make one law, it would be that any individual government employee who documents a way to save money and gets it implemented, keeps half of the savings for the first year.

I'm betting just that would solve the issue in two years. And start paying down the debt in three. Plus, the first year would be the biggest non-private sector stimulus in history.