"Could." It's been four weeks. Let's see what cuts end up being recommend and how much are realized. I've stated many times that I'm skeptical that Congress will end up doing much. I swear, some of you guys have the patience of a toddler that has skipped a meal. How about we see what happens?
D.O.G.E (Department of Government Efficiency) II
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"Could." It's been four weeks. Let's see what cuts end up being recommend and how much are realized. I've stated many times that I'm skeptical that Congress will end up doing much. I swear, some of you guys have the patience of a toddler that has skipped a meal. How about we see what happens?
I have to chuckle a little bit on this one. The party that increased spending by $2,500,000,000,000 over the last five years is now worried about the national debt. Every single cut made by DOGE so far would NEVER, EVER have been done with the Democrats in control in DC. They always talk a big game about cutting defense spending but at the end of the day the military industrial complex makes a few calls and their plans fall apart.
It seems that some of the leftist complainers are upset that the cuts won't be enough. But that can't be true ...
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett says sending each American $5,000 checks from DOGE wouldn't be inflationary because inflation only happens when the government spends money.
I think you must generate quite a bit more income than I do if you are helping thousands a year! But that is very generous of you. I will probably have sent a couple hundred kids to Camp Cosby through this year and will continue to do so in the years to come, it is one of my passions.
But yes... I agree Government needs to be leaner. We can't afford it. My problem is that destroying everything and callously firing so many without a plan for a solid RIF and helping them transition to positions in the private world is foolhardy. Attrition alone could take care of a good bit of the problem. And firing government employees simply doesn't address much of the problem from a monetary perspective. The deficit is 1.8 trillion and the entire Federal workforce costs 0.271 trillion. If you fire half the workforce which will result in many services disappearing... that is still 0.130 trillion. And again... the plans don't really include fixing the deficit, let alone paying down debt.
I regard the crazy outlandish spending as a problem both the Reps and the Dems have caused. It is pointless to argue that either party has done anything productive in this area.
Our taxes aren't really that high compared to the other developed nations... But it depends on what you want. I think the perspective for most is that they think they are spending way more on taxes than they are. Although... paying a good chunk myself I don't mind too much.
I mentioned the NIH specifically, because it is such a huge driver of the medical and scientific economies. 47 billion dollars that leads to an estimate 92 billion in direct economic impact. We also generate so many of our PhDs and the research to make life better. Spread that to government spending on STEM and we are really shooting ourselves in the foot when it comes to competing with the CCP in the future. Private industry in medicine has NO interest in basic research. Destroying all of our R1 universities is crazy talk.
ALL of the current policies and discussion needs some downstream planning.
Sorry for rambling... too lazy to edit after being distracted!
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Its funny how when you crunch the math you cant cut your way into a balanced budget or reducing the natural debt. The only thing that truly fixes this is higher taxes on the 1% along with spending controls.
All the federal employees are pulling unemployment benefits from some government source. Also for the older employees we probably expedited them faster onto social security and Medicare which actuarially drives up the costs of these programs.
Do we realize what is being done is similar to what happened with the pandemic for a whole bunch of people?
All the while the Republican Congress is fashioning a budget that will permanently fix tax cuts to the wealthy and add $25T to our debt.
Marie Antoinette was beheaded for acts more benign than this...
It really should be their "Let them eat cake" moment...
All the federal employees are pulling unemployment benefits from some government source. Also for the older employees we probably expedited them faster onto social security and Medicare which actuarially drives up the costs of these programs.
Do we realize what is being done is similar to what happened with the pandemic for a whole bunch of people?
All the while the Republican Congress is fashioning a budget that will permanently fix tax cuts to the wealthy and add $25T to our debt.
Marie Antoinette was beheaded for acts more benign than this...
It really should be their "Let them eat cake" moment...
To clarify, my wife and I provide charity to people numbering in the low 100s. We are not allowed to retain enough of our income to help thousands. I wish we could. It is very upsetting that we look at people we could help but can't. We could if the government didn't decide that its waste is a better use of our money.
There are trillions of dollars in unnecessary programs that need to be cut. There are more than a handful of departments that need to be abolished at the federal level. Do this first and the reduction in government workforce follows with those cuts. When government activities are matched up to the Constitution and basic economic analysis, government overreach and fiscal insanity is easy to see. Let's see if Congress has the political will to preserve our country for future generations.
Absolutely! It's been a "both sides" thing for decades.
I don't compare our proper tax burden with that of other nations. Other governments are just as fiscally dumb as ours. It's like a meth head looking at the drug house across the street and deciding, "I'm fine because I'm no worse off than those guys."
I judge our proper federal tax burden against what we should pay for at the federal level according to what is constitutionally justified. We overspend and are overtaxed by trillions of dollars at the federal level.
For all things the government does, if it's constitutional and worthwhile, then it should be maintained. Legitimate research should be done, but by whom and how should be investigated. I know several people at NIH who enjoy their jobs because they are well paid to coast at work. It's anecdotal, but I don't think I've encountered the only people who are proud slugs. It's largely the norm. Working directly for the government or off a government grant encourages laziness - ether on the part of specific individual or due to the nature of the Rube Goldberg machine that is the government bureaucracy. I spin my wheels many hours each week because I'm waiting on someone else in a far-flung office to do something or one or more of my systems are down. What should take weeks takes months. Always. The waste is in the government genetically.
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I can. Easily. If spending were reduced to what it was five years ago, we'd have a surplus. And we wasted trillions of dollars five years ago.
Lest we forget why the United States is going through all this:
The federal government itself is the greatest threat to the security and well-being of the United States, and it is not even close to having a rival. Nobody and nothing threatens the United States as much as the federal government does. This is so for two reasons:
1. The federal government can push a button and disarm all of the states and all of the people. By one federal judge's ruling, every means of defense can be disarmed because the federal government decides what are the limits of the federal government's powers.
2. The cataclysm is not possible, or even likely, but inevitable, it is just a matter of time, unless current trend lines change.
1. The federal government can push a button and disarm all of the states and all of the people. By one federal judge's ruling, every means of defense can be disarmed because the federal government decides what are the limits of the federal government's powers.
2. The cataclysm is not possible, or even likely, but inevitable, it is just a matter of time, unless current trend lines change.
FWIW, DOGE will NEVER even come close to eliminating spending to any significant amount. Revenues must be increased to make any significant change. I dont see either party having the balls to do what's needed. Debt and climate are in a race to see which destroys us first!
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Wow
nypost.com
Zeldin EPA discovers $2 billion stashed away by Biden admin for Stacey Abrams-linked climate group
Former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams was a fierce supporter of former President Joe Biden.
nypost.com
Most all of us agree that an increase in revenue will be necessary. But as I've said for years - don't ask me for another dime unless / until you make material changes to the FedGov's wasteful spending. Every candidate gives lip service to being fiscally responsible, yet over and over they get into office and spend, spend spend.
I'm 100% fine with increasing my taxes, bearing the burden handed to us by the Baby Boomer generation in order to make our economy solvent long-term so that my kids and future generations can enjoy a healthy economy. But only once I see real action working to address the wastefulness.
All that said, I expect a lot of money that's been allocated this fiscal year is spent and will be difficult to claw back - if Trump is serious about reducing spending, there will be a battle with the House wrt the next budget. Only if the POTUS is unwilling to keep spending like a drunken sailor will I believe we're on the path to getting things right.
Exactly. I read an economic study years ago that wanted to determine what the proper tax burden would be to pay for the constitutional functions of the federal government. For a starting point, if there were a flat tax on every dollar everyone earns (no exemptions, deductions, write offs, etc.), the study found, IIRC, that the tax burden would be 6% at the federal level. Productive people pay many times that. And the left thinks we should pay more. They can go pound sand. We have a spending problem, not a revenue problem.
Or why would an age field be left empty when a SS is largely age-based (only 16% receive SSI)?
Liz Truss Calls For 'Elon & His Nerd Army' To Investigate 'British Deep State'
Sorry Liz, get your own nerds. Ours are a little predisposed right now.
Sorry Liz, get your own nerds. Ours are a little predisposed right now.
LEGENDARY! President of Argentina Javier Milei just linked up with Elon Musk and gifted him a DOGE chainsaw.
Absolute beast mode.
Absolute beast mode.
Personally, I find this incredibly lame lol. I am trying to keep an open mind with DOGE but man its hard when I just can't stand Elon.
Musk has a chance to make a difference and do some good. I wish him well and would very much like to see him succeed. Although its still very early, I'm not seeing actions that are very promising. He's using a meat clever when he should be using a paring knife and his boss is still a fool.
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