Monday, February 13, 2012

A Trillion Here, A Trillion there, But Who Is Counting?

I think our out-of-control Federal Government spending and the Federal debt are probably the biggest challenges facing our country today.  This problem could collapse our economy at some time in the future.  If we don’t fix the problem, I would hate to be around to explain to future generations why we did not deal with the problem. 

Our national debt is over 15 trillion.  That is over $49,000 per US citizen, and over $135,000 per taxpayer.  Our Federal Government is still spending like there is no tomorrow.  If we keep going at the current rate, we could add another trillion in debt every year. 
I have heard proposals of reducing the deficit by 3 or 4 trillion over the next decade.  Sound good?  I don’t think so.  What a joke.  This is not balancing the budget or reducing the debt.   What it actually means is that we will increase the dept by over 7 trillion in the next decade as opposed to 10 trillion.  We will be going bankrupt slower.  This is totally unacceptable.  Any politician should to be ashamed to even propose this budget. 
The idea of ignoring the problem and leaving it for someone else to deal with has to stop.  Raising the debt ceiling has become routine and irresponsible.  When are our elected representatives going to wake up and deal with the problem?

Paul Ryan is the Chairman of the House Budget Committee.  Paul Ryan, the House Budget Committee and the House of Representative recommended a budget that was called radical and extremist by the liberal left. 
I would tend to agree that the proposed budget was not realistic, but not for the same reasons as the liberal left.  The proposed budget would not even have balanced the budget for forty years.  Yes, that’s right, forty years.  I find this hard to comprehend or believe. 
The forty years for balancing the budget is with interest on the debt at today’s low rates.  If interest rates go up to normal for any reason, who knows how long it will take to balance the budget.  This is just balancing the budget.  We are not even addressing paying off the debt. 
This proposed budget is ridiculous because it hardly addresses the problem and the liberal left still thinks it is extreme because it is cutting too much.

When I hear the liberal left say the right will not even compromise, it makes me laugh.  How can we compromise when we are not even addressing the problem yet?
It is kind of like if I ask you to give me all your money.  You might object.  If you object, I say “Let’s compromise.  Just give me half your money.”  Now, how can you object?  I met you half way.  This is how stupid the comprise argument sounds. 

I know it is hard to cut back government.  Politicians hate to give up power and money, but it is time. 
I have heard it said the Democrats want to tax and spend, and Republicans want to borrow and spend.   Lets wake up and see the problem.  The problem is the “spend” part. 
I saw a statement that was very descriptive recently.  I do not know who wrote it, but it went like this.  “Witnessing the Republicans and the Democrats bicker over the U.S. debt is like watching two drunks argue over a bar bill on the Titanic.”
It drives me crazy when politicians or the media try to rationalize avoiding certain budget cuts because it is only a small percent of the total budget. 

The boat is sinking folks.  Quit arguing about which rock to throw out first.


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