4 ms·

Listen - without fail, the folks who want to make huge budget cuts because of the face value of certain programs, do not understand what those programs actually

by RajT88 2y ago

Listen - without fail, the folks who want to make huge budget cuts because of the face value of certain programs, do not understand what those programs actually do and how the budgets add up. Government waste exists, but not in the quantities that detractors claim it does. Bookmark this comment, and check on how you feel about everything in 4 years. "Small government" is dumb for any highly developed country, and the people that want that are about to find out this harsh reality. The very wealthy and big corporations probably benefit - for a while - until things start happening like CEO's being assassinated in the street. Good thing stuff like that is not happening.

Dalewyn 2y ago
[flagged]
- RajT88 2y ago
  You don't need to tear down the government to put an end to deficit spending. Thank you for demonstrating: > Listen - without fail, the folks who want to make huge budget cuts because of the face value of certain programs, do not understand what those programs actually do and how the budgets add up.
- CyberDildonics 2y ago
  Only scientists and retards continue doing the same thing expecting different results, What did you mean by this?
- astrange 2y ago
  The federal government budget is not a household budget. There's no such thing as having money or not having money. It's a mixed economy and they're the command economy part of it. (This isn't true of state/local governments, those have limited budgets.) More to the point, if you shut down 100% of everything that looks like spending it wouldn't save anything important. The federal government is an insurance agency and all the money goes to Medicare/Social Security payments and military wages. You could shut down the miltary I guess.
  - Dalewyn 2y ago
    >The federal government budget is not a household budget. There's no such thing as having money or not having money. Entire countries default fairly often, the USA is no exception if such a fate befalls us. We've already had our security ratings dropped once before. >More to the point, if you shut down 100% of everything that looks like spending it wouldn't save anything important. So you're saying reducing expenditures won't reduce expenditures. Also, war is peace and freedom is slavery; I implore you to consider WTF you're actually saying. >The federal government is an insurance agency and all the money goes to Medicare/Social Security payments and military wages. You could shut down the miltary I guess. As cited[1] by another commenter, Social Security + Medicare account for 36% of the budget with the military accounting for 14%. Together they're 50% of the budget. Meanwhile, we are $35.46 trillion dollars in debt.[2] These crazy numbers must be balanced sooner or later, and the costs to do so will be cheaper the sooner we do it. Every single part of the government needs to be cut and likely in most cases eliminated outright, that includes Social Security and Medicare and the military. Spending even more money (that we don't have) in the hopes that we get more money and more efficient government as we've been repeatedly doing for fucking decades is a fool's errand. The bottom line if we are borrowing money to make ends meet is: We. Do. Not. Have. Money. Tear the government down until that red ink is no more. It's stupid that even this basic piece of financial logic is considered crazy and controversial. [1]: https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/federal-spending/ https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/feder... [2]: https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-debt/ https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/natio...
    - RajT88 2y ago
      > As cited[1] by another commenter, Social Security + Medicare account for 36% of the budget with the military accounting for 14%. Best practice: When citing another commenter, make sure it's not the one who's insistent you're dead wrong about your central talking point.
      - Dalewyn 2y ago
        There is a reason I didn't link your comment, though I'm not sure if you realize we are in agreement: Slashing Social Security and Medicare (along with Health) would go a long way towards balancing the sheets. But of course, even those three combined are still 49% (less than half) of government expenditures. Even adding the military still only accounts for 63%. Just FY2024 alone we were $1.83 trillion dollars short.[1] Cuts must happen from everywhere in government in order to bring sense back into the balance sheets. Also importantly, cuts must happen in order to make tax increases actually palatable to the electorate. Cuts alone won't balance the cash flow, the revenue (taxes, et al.) must also increase and for that to happen taxes must be hiked and for that to be palatable the government must first lead by example in fiscal discipline by cutting expenditures wholesale. DOGE is an unprecedented first step because their job is to bring the presumed-frivolous-by-some nature of government expenditures to light and prove them frivolous period. Actual cuts must come from the House who are tasked with the power of the purse and the Executive who are tasked with executing the budget, DOGE doesn't have any authority itself. For once Republicans are declaring they really will pursue Small Government, I want to see that happen because we've never so much as tried. I'm sick and tired of Big Government and want to see another world, even if cuts will be fucking painful. [1]: https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-deficit/ https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/natio...

by RajT88 2y ago

Dalewyn 2y ago

[flagged]

RajT88 2y ago
You don't need to tear down the government to put an end to deficit spending. Thank you for demonstrating: > Listen - without fail, the folks who want to make huge budget cuts because of the face value of certain programs, do not understand what those programs actually do and how the budgets add up.
CyberDildonics 2y ago
Only scientists and retards continue doing the same thing expecting different results, What did you mean by this?
astrange 2y ago
The federal government budget is not a household budget. There's no such thing as having money or not having money. It's a mixed economy and they're the command economy part of it. (This isn't true of state/local governments, those have limited budgets.) More to the point, if you shut down 100% of everything that looks like spending it wouldn't save anything important. The federal government is an insurance agency and all the money goes to Medicare/Social Security payments and military wages. You could shut down the miltary I guess.
- Dalewyn 2y ago
  >The federal government budget is not a household budget. There's no such thing as having money or not having money. Entire countries default fairly often, the USA is no exception if such a fate befalls us. We've already had our security ratings dropped once before. >More to the point, if you shut down 100% of everything that looks like spending it wouldn't save anything important. So you're saying reducing expenditures won't reduce expenditures. Also, war is peace and freedom is slavery; I implore you to consider WTF you're actually saying. >The federal government is an insurance agency and all the money goes to Medicare/Social Security payments and military wages. You could shut down the miltary I guess. As cited[1] by another commenter, Social Security + Medicare account for 36% of the budget with the military accounting for 14%. Together they're 50% of the budget. Meanwhile, we are $35.46 trillion dollars in debt.[2] These crazy numbers must be balanced sooner or later, and the costs to do so will be cheaper the sooner we do it. Every single part of the government needs to be cut and likely in most cases eliminated outright, that includes Social Security and Medicare and the military. Spending even more money (that we don't have) in the hopes that we get more money and more efficient government as we've been repeatedly doing for fucking decades is a fool's errand. The bottom line if we are borrowing money to make ends meet is: We. Do. Not. Have. Money. Tear the government down until that red ink is no more. It's stupid that even this basic piece of financial logic is considered crazy and controversial. [1]: https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/federal-spending/ https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/feder... [2]: https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-debt/ https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/natio...
  - RajT88 2y ago
    > As cited[1] by another commenter, Social Security + Medicare account for 36% of the budget with the military accounting for 14%. Best practice: When citing another commenter, make sure it's not the one who's insistent you're dead wrong about your central talking point.
    - Dalewyn 2y ago
      There is a reason I didn't link your comment, though I'm not sure if you realize we are in agreement: Slashing Social Security and Medicare (along with Health) would go a long way towards balancing the sheets. But of course, even those three combined are still 49% (less than half) of government expenditures. Even adding the military still only accounts for 63%. Just FY2024 alone we were $1.83 trillion dollars short.[1] Cuts must happen from everywhere in government in order to bring sense back into the balance sheets. Also importantly, cuts must happen in order to make tax increases actually palatable to the electorate. Cuts alone won't balance the cash flow, the revenue (taxes, et al.) must also increase and for that to happen taxes must be hiked and for that to be palatable the government must first lead by example in fiscal discipline by cutting expenditures wholesale. DOGE is an unprecedented first step because their job is to bring the presumed-frivolous-by-some nature of government expenditures to light and prove them frivolous period. Actual cuts must come from the House who are tasked with the power of the purse and the Executive who are tasked with executing the budget, DOGE doesn't have any authority itself. For once Republicans are declaring they really will pursue Small Government, I want to see that happen because we've never so much as tried. I'm sick and tired of Big Government and want to see another world, even if cuts will be fucking painful. [1]: https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-deficit/ https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/natio...