"This was an extraordinarily fair deal," he said, explaining that the White House offered more than $1 trillion in cuts to discretionary spending, both domestic and defense and $650 billion in cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security in exchange for $1.2 trillion in new revenues"

 

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/07/22/obama_boehner_walked_away_from_extraordinarily_fair_deal.html

 

 

He is running a deficit of 1.6+ Trillion A YEAR is offering spending cuts of that much over 10 years. ...........

To suggest that we can run the country without having a deficit is just silly. You cannot reasonably run your house without a deficit, and the government is hardly a household. But you run a deficit if you have have a mortgage, or car payment. With the interest rates this low, this is a reasonable time to be borrowing money. One of the problem is that the job-creators are sitting on loads of cash and not creating jobs, even with their bush tax cuts, partly in fear of the republicans not doing anything about the debt ceiling and partly because they want to sit on the profits.

 

You cannot fight two wars without raising taxes and we have tried to do that. That is crazy. How do you fight wars and cut taxes like Bush did? Obama has not been strong enough to reverse that course, but he only has 1 of 2 paths, increase taxes or end the wars, but simply cutting spending - crazy.

So we just keep spending.....yeah thats the answer.

 

 

I too think we need to raise taxes, but on who? Those making over $250k?

I agree we have to cut spending, but I would suggest the biggest cut needs to be in the military how about this . . .

 

If you are still making 250,000.00 the recession has not had a huge impact, but I would go back to regular taxes on those making over 500,000.00 to start and see where that goes.

 

Means test Medicare. Require a premium for those who can pay.

Means test Social Security and raise the retirement age. People who are 60 and are not currently receiving SS will have to wait until they are 66. People who are under 60 will wait until they are 67 and those who are 55 and under will go until 68. (I do think you should figure out some exceptions for folks who do hard labor or other related jobs).

 

Cut defense spending to where it is only 3.5% of GDP as opposed to the 4.7 it is now OR make it only double the combined expenditures of the next 3 countries.

 

Lastly, means test corporate welfare - in other words, get rid of the loop-holes. The only incentives should be for jobs created.

I agree we have to cut spending, but I would suggest the biggest cut needs to be in the military how about this . . .

 

If you are still making 250,000.00 the recession has not had a huge impact, but I would go back to regular taxes on those making over 500,000.00 to start and see where that goes.

 

Means test Medicare. Require a premium for those who can pay.

Means test Social Security and raise the retirement age. People who are 60 and are not currently receiving SS will have to wait until they are 66. People who are under 60 will wait until they are 67 and those who are 55 and under will go until 68. (I do think you should figure out some exceptions for folks who do hard labor or other related jobs).

 

Cut defense spending to where it is only 3.5% of GDP as opposed to the 4.7 it is now OR make it only double the combined expenditures of the next 3 countries.

 

Lastly, means test corporate welfare - in other words, get rid of the loop-holes. The only incentives should be for jobs created.

 

Can't keep raising the retirement age, 65 should be it. I would like to see those under 35 be able to have an opt out option so they can invest in their own retirement.

 

 

While I do agree with the defense spending somewhat, how do we know what China really spends?

Like all companies the military could get rid of some bureaucracy, mostly created by congressional mandates, and find other waste. The military is a constitutional duty, whereas much of the wasteful spending is not constutionally mandat used. EPA, Energy Dept. Education Dept. and grants to cities and states are just a few to start with. We got by for almost 200 years without them.

EPA could be a part of another department, just get rid of Energy and Education as they produce nothing, but debt and lower taxes to allow cities and states to raise they own money for pet projects.

Like all companies the military could get rid of some bureaucracy, mostly created by congressional mandates, and find other waste. The military is a constitutional duty, whereas much of the wasteful spending is not constutionally mandat used. EPA, Energy Dept. Education Dept. and grants to cities and states are just a few to start with. We got by for almost 200 years without them.

EPA could be a part of another department, just get rid of Energy and Education as they produce nothing, but debt and lower taxes to allow cities and states to raise they own money for pet projects.

 

Those are ideological cuts. I say we start taxing gun manufacturers at a higher rate, and gun buyers at a higher rate? I say we eliminate the death penalty so we don't have to worry about all of those appeals that cost us money. I say we waste too much money trying to post the Ten Commandments in court houses. Now I don't really think all of these things, but they are ideological cuts. Lets move away from them and just make cuts.

 

If we don't have enough intelligence to figure out what China is spending on the military we are hurting, and if we really think they are going to launch an attack on us . . . well, never mind.

Those are ideological cuts. I say we start taxing gun manufacturers at a higher rate, and gun buyers at a higher rate? I say we eliminate the death penalty so we don't have to worry about all of those appeals that cost us money. I say we waste too much money trying to post the Ten Commandments in court houses. Now I don't really think all of these things, but they are ideological cuts. Lets move away from them and just make cuts.

 

If we don't have enough intelligence to figure out what China is spending on the military we are hurting, and if we really think they are going to launch an attack on us . . . well, never mind.

 

Just a talking point.

Those are ideological cuts. I say we start taxing gun manufacturers at a higher rate, and gun buyers at a higher rate? I say we eliminate the death penalty so we don't have to worry about all of those appeals that cost us money. I say we waste too much money trying to post the Ten Commandments in court houses. Now I don't really think all of these things, but they are ideological cuts. Lets move away from them and just make cuts.

 

If we don't have enough intelligence to figure out what China is spending on the military we are hurting, and if we really think they are going to launch an attack on us . . . well, never mind.

 

I am for a budget that is based on Constitutional mandates given to our government. Nothing ideological about the meaning of the Constutition, except for those who do not understand it or misinterpret the meaning the document.

Can't keep raising the retirement age, 65 should be it. I would like to see those under 35 be able to have an opt out option so they can invest in their own retirement.

 

 

While I do agree with the defense spending somewhat, how do we know what China really spends?

 

If you keep raising it, why have it? Don't take out taxes and let individuals invest on their own.

I am for a budget that is based on Constitutional mandates given to our government. Nothing ideological about the meaning of the Constutition, except for those who do not understand it or misinterpret the meaning the document.

 

The Constitution is not a document carved in stone. It is a living document that allows for changes. That's why we have amendments. The framers realized that the world changes and that the Constitution needed to be able to change with it.

The Constitution is not a document carved in stone. It is a living document that allows for changes. That's why we have amendments. The framers realized that the world changes and that the Constitution needed to be able to change with it.

 

Correct, but there are only 17 amendments after the Bill of Rights and 2 of those cancel out each other. Much of what the government does today is not covered by any of those amendments.

Can't keep raising the retirement age, 65 should be it. I would like to see those under 35 be able to have an opt out option so they can invest in their own retirement.

 

I think that is a great idea, for me at least. I would much rather invest that money myself than keep handing it over to the governement. Especially considering it might not be around by the time I'm 65 and could collect it. Only I think that would be one of those "good idea on paper" things because there are plenty of young adults who woudn't invest in their own retirement and then I'd imagine our society would be in a world of hurt in 30-40 years from now.

I think that is a great idea, for me at least. I would much rather invest that money myself than keep handing it over to the governement. Especially considering it might not be around by the time I'm 65 and could collect it. Only I think that would be one of those "good idea on paper" things because there are plenty of young adults who woudn't invest in their own retirement and then I'd imagine our society would be in a world of hurt in 30-40 years from now.

 

As opposed to the way it is now - pouring money into something that will likely run out before we ever see a dime.

As opposed to the way it is now - pouring money into something that will likely run out before we ever see a dime.

 

social security is really not in that bad of of shape, and it doesn't contribute to the debt, not really sure why it is in the discussion (i know I put it up there in a previous post but that is because everyone else is talking about it.) The problem is we take money out of the trust fund to pay other things.