GOP Aiming to Cut $4 Trillion

[Avatar4321]

"A Massachusetts Republican, on Thursday denounced GOP suggestions to cut social and cultural programs as “irresponsible,” In a Thursday floor speech and in a letter to Senate leaders, Brown said that while cuts “reducing and eliminating needless spending and programs are appropriate … a wholesale reduction in spending, without considering economic, cultural, and social impacts is simply irresponsible."

- Scott Brown

Actually, I think we need to consider the economic, cultural, and social impacts of not cutting our spending.

Because if we don't significantly cut this spending, there is going to literally be hell to pay.

 

[Avatar4321]

We have just about the highest infant mortality of any industrial nation. Cutting medical benefits for the young mothers will only make this worst. Ain't America great?

We could teach our children not to have children out of wedlock so that we have two responsible parents taking care of the medical bills.

Radical concept, I know. But personally, I'd rather treat the problem and not throw money at the symptoms like you do.

 

[Greenbeard]

Somebody think of the children!!!!

USAID Chief: House GOP's Budget Cuts Would Kill 70,000 Children

I realize that link is about the effect of cuts to anti-malaria programs and such that benefit kids in other countries, but in the context of this thread it's worth remembering that 1 in 4 kids in this country gain access to health care services through the public insurance programs now being put on the chopping block.

 

[Sheldon]

Rep Ryan has had something like this on the table for about a year now I think. The GOP establishment didn't give his plan any attention until just now, fwiw. But yeah cuts are needed, as are increases in revenue. We need to get on a healthier trajectory. I would like to see the top bracket get broken up, so the IRS isn't looking at a $250K family that same as a $5m family. I want to see meaningful restructuring in DoD and HHS spending. Start working on that interest. But please let's not go back to the Gilded Age.

 

[boedicca]

It's a start. I read an opinion piece a couple of days ago with a great idea:

Take spending as of 2000 (the last Clinton budget), adjust it for inflation - and set that as the budgetary level. There has been enormous scope creep regarding the role of government - it's time to carve it back to basics.

 

[RDD_1210]

When will Willow be here to criticize this plan for "cutting her Medicare"!

 

[boedicca]

GOP Aiming to Cut $4 Trillion

Somebody think of the children!!!!

USAID Chief: House GOP's Budget Cuts Would Kill 70,000 Children

Well, of course that would be the first response.

And now, get ready for the claim that it will increase Global Climate Change, cause Earthquakes, and eliminate needed funding to protect us from Tsunamis.

 

[Gadawg73]

Medicare Fraud is estimated to be close to 25%.
Dad died last May. Lee County Hospital had his DNR order in place there for 18 months before he died.
They ignored it and ran up over 100K in care over 6 days. Then told me when we threatened them with a court order "Well, some folks like to pull the plug on their loved ones"
And he was the one that had his lawyer draw up the DNR years before he died.
Home health ran up over 12K in "therapy" the last month of his life. What kind? Occupational and speech therapy at $150 an hour, ALL DAY, for an 88 year old man.
I want to end Medicare yesterday. Government clinics, get them off the dope they are on and end this horrible program.
We are broke folks. Don't like it? BUY AND PAY FOR YOUR OWN DAMN INSURANCE.

 

[AquaAthena]

The U.S. should cut foreign aid to countries that we have no strategic interest in:

"American foreign aid appropriations have escalated from about $20 billion in 2000 to $50 billion today.

"Almost every single nation on earth gets our foreign aid. The major recipients of the $35 billion in economic aid we dispense are: Afghanistan, $2.6 billion; Israel, $3 billion; Iraq, $766 million; and Egypt, $1.6 billion. But beyond these aid packages, we give Africa $7 billion in economic aid each year. We donate $2 billion to the Western Hemisphere (only about $400 million of it to Haiti). We give Asia, apart from Afghanistan, $2 billion. And we give Europe almost $1 billion.

"Foreign aid has never been politically popular in the United States, and now is the time to put it on the table in the budget talks. If the Democrats want to shut down the government so that we can give more money in foreign aid, let them do it."

More: CUT FOREIGN AID BUDGET NOW at DickMorris.com

 

[Gadawg73]

The U.S. should cut foreign aid to countries that we have no strategic interest in:

"American foreign aid appropriations have escalated from about $20 billion in 2000 to $50 billion today.

"Almost every single nation on earth gets our foreign aid. The major recipients of the $35 billion in economic aid we dispense are: Afghanistan, $2.6 billion; Israel, $3 billion; Iraq, $766 million; and Egypt, $1.6 billion. But beyond these aid packages, we give Africa $7 billion in economic aid each year. We donate $2 billion to the Western Hemisphere (only about $400 million of it to Haiti). We give Asia, apart from Afghanistan, $2 billion. And we give Europe almost $1 billion.

"Foreign aid has never been politically popular in the United States, and now is the time to put it on the table in the budget talks. If the Democrats want to shut down the government so that we can give more money in foreign aid, let them do it."

More: CUT FOREIGN AID BUDGET NOW at DickMorris.com

Foreign aid is less than 1% of the budget. I am for that but that would not make a dent.
Cutting 1% of the budget would not do anything tosolve the problems we face.
Medicare and all health care with Medicaid and Gramps Dope Plan is almost 1 trillion a damn year.

 

[editec]

It's a start. I read an opinion piece a couple of days ago with a great idea:

Take spending as of 2000 (the last Clinton budget), adjust it for inflation - and set that as the budgetary level. There has been enormous scope creep regarding the role of government - it's time to carve it back to basics.

I can tell you two things that Clinton's budget didn't have to carry.

IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.


What's our budget look like without those costs?

 

[AquaAthena]

The U.S. should cut foreign aid to countries that we have no strategic interest in:

"American foreign aid appropriations have escalated from about $20 billion in 2000 to $50 billion today.

"Almost every single nation on earth gets our foreign aid. The major recipients of the $35 billion in economic aid we dispense are: Afghanistan, $2.6 billion; Israel, $3 billion; Iraq, $766 million; and Egypt, $1.6 billion. But beyond these aid packages, we give Africa $7 billion in economic aid each year. We donate $2 billion to the Western Hemisphere (only about $400 million of it to Haiti). We give Asia, apart from Afghanistan, $2 billion. And we give Europe almost $1 billion.

"Foreign aid has never been politically popular in the United States, and now is the time to put it on the table in the budget talks. If the Democrats want to shut down the government so that we can give more money in foreign aid, let them do it."

More: CUT FOREIGN AID BUDGET NOW at DickMorris.com

Foreign aid is less than 1% of the budget. I am for that but that would not make a dent.
Cutting 1% of the budget would not do anything tosolve the problems we face.
Medicare and all health care with Medicaid and Gramps Dope Plan is almost 1 trillion a damn year.

I agree...all major entitlements have to be adjusted. Ryan is putting forth that the cutoff age for those continuing "as is" or "grandfathered in" would be 55 years. It won't affect anyone on federal entitlement programs, currently.

But for the current CR battle to keep the gov running It would help end the impasse between Dems and Cons when the latest CR expires this coming Friday at 11:59:59 pm., if the Dems would give on the foreign aid idea it could make up the almost 30 billion dollar difference that as of this posting, exists. The sides are at loggerheads and can't seem to forge an agreement. If they fail to strike a deal by Friday night (or approve yet another CR), the government will close.

The countries that receive our taxpayers dollars:


Aid to nations

Ivory Coast — $138M

Democratic Republic of the

Congo — $213M

Ethiopia — $584M

Ghana — $175M

Kenya — $714M

Liberia — $219M

Malawi — $179M

Mali — $169M

Mozambique — $415M

Namibia — $103M

Nigeria — $648M

Rwanda — $241M

Senegal — $137M

South Africa — $586M

Sudan — $440M

Tanzania — $550M

Uganda — $480M

Zambia — $409M

Indonesia — $228M

Philippines — $133M

Vietnam — $123M

Ukraine — $124M

CUT FOREIGN AID BUDGET NOW at DickMorris.com

 

[jillian]

The Republicans have been acting like pussies for some time, saying they want to cut the deficit but not cut anything that actually matters. This actually matters. Good for them for having some cahones and laying things on the line. This is a conversation America has to have.

how is this different from any of their other "stiick it to the people who need it most" proposals? they are too busy redistributing wealth away from the middle class to the top 1% to have the discussions that REALLY need to be had. i'm not really interested in listening to how there's no money when they renewed tax cuts for rich people.... especially in the face of a fragile recovery.

And until there's campaign finance reform, (which was effectively permanently blocked by citizens united), politicians are going to keep being beholden to their money men and never make the changes that really need to occur.

 

[Two Thumbs]

$400billion a year!

Politically speaking; that's the equivalent of putting your nuts on the table, handing the dems a mallet, and signing a contract stating you will not press charges, no matter what.

Bit of a stunner though. It may be more of a shock to the system than society can handle all at once.

I'm for it, but we need to be prepared to change it should it not be working.

 

[Two Thumbs]

The Republicans have been acting like pussies for some time, saying they want to cut the deficit but not cut anything that actually matters. This actually matters. Good for them for having some cahones and laying things on the line. This is a conversation America has to have.

how is this different from any of their other "stiick it to the people who need it most" proposals? they are too busy redistributing wealth away from the middle class to the top 1% to have the discussions that REALLY need to be had. i'm not really interested in listening to how there's no money when they renewed tax cuts for rich people.... especially in the face of a fragile recovery.

And until there's campaign finance reform, (which was effectively permanently blocked by citizens united), politicians are going to keep being beholden to their money men and never make the changes that really need to occur.

This was approved by a dem controlled Congress.

We are deep deep in the hole. We need to do something to fix the situation and keeping every single touchy feely program going has not, is not and will not work.


It's dead in the water anyway. It will pass the House but I doubt the Senate will even vote for it.

 

[Care4all]

I don't see how medicare will cost less by putting this in to the hands of the "beloved" sic Insurance companies when their dministration costs is over 20% and the administration cost of the us gvt is less than 1%?

Are the republicans just in bed with the insurance companies and this is why they want to do this? this makes no sense what so ever.

And why in the heck did the Republicans create their own Medicare Pill Bill and illegally pass it in the House without raising taxes to pay for it, and without allowing us to negotiate bulk discounts with Pharma and without the ability for States to buy their lower cost drugs in Canada, during the Bush administration?

Was it purposely to make medicare "Wither on the Vine"....

this pisses me off to no end.

the national homeland security and defense budget has gone from $290 billion a year in the year 2000 to now $819 billion A YEAR in total.

WE ONLY COLLECT IN INCOME TAXES $950 billion to 1 trillion a year and over $800 billion of that revenue is used for our total national defense.*

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

"It's our Sputnik moment, we'll become stronger. We'll cut budget and fly to Mars before the Chinese"

Only Obama would talk in terms of "Sputnik" moments...

Good God.

 

[B. Kidd]

The Republicans have been acting like pussies for some time, saying they want to cut the deficit but not cut anything that actually matters. This actually matters. Good for them for having some cahones and laying things on the line. This is a conversation America has to have.

how is this different from any of their other "stiick it to the people who need it most" proposals? they are too busy redistributing wealth away from the middle class to the top 1% to have the discussions that REALLY need to be had. i'm not really interested in listening to how there's no money when they renewed tax cuts for rich people.... especially in the face of a fragile recovery.

And until there's campaign finance reform, (which was effectively permanently blocked by citizens united), politicians are going to keep being beholden to their money men and never make the changes that really need to occur.

You win the 'hammer meet nail' post of the morning!
From this financial crisis, it is apparent whom the gov't favors when Wall St. vs. Main St.. Specifically, small businesses are still struggling two and a half years later to get loans.

 

[Two Thumbs]

The U.S. should cut foreign aid to countries that we have no strategic interest in:

"American foreign aid appropriations have escalated from about $20 billion in 2000 to $50 billion today.

"Almost every single nation on earth gets our foreign aid. The major recipients of the $35 billion in economic aid we dispense are: Afghanistan, $2.6 billion; Israel, $3 billion; Iraq, $766 million; and Egypt, $1.6 billion. But beyond these aid packages, we give Africa $7 billion in economic aid each year. We donate $2 billion to the Western Hemisphere (only about $400 million of it to Haiti). We give Asia, apart from Afghanistan, $2 billion. And we give Europe almost $1 billion.

"Foreign aid has never been politically popular in the United States, and now is the time to put it on the table in the budget talks. If the Democrats want to shut down the government so that we can give more money in foreign aid, let them do it."

More: CUT FOREIGN AID BUDGET NOW at DickMorris.com

Foreign aid is less than 1% of the budget. I am for that but that would not make a dent.
Cutting 1% of the budget would not do anything tosolve the problems we face.
Medicare and all health care with Medicaid and Gramps Dope Plan is almost 1 trillion a damn year.

I agree...all major entitlements have to be adjusted. Ryan is putting forth that the cutoff age for those continuing "as is" or "grandfathered in" would be 55 years. It won't affect anyone on federal entitlement programs, currently.

But for the current CR battle to keep the gov running It would help end the impasse between Dems and Cons when the latest CR expires this coming Friday at 11:59:59 pm., if the Dems would give on the foreign aid idea it could make up the almost 30 billion dollar difference that as of this posting, exists. The sides are at loggerheads and can't seem to forge an agreement. If they fail to strike a deal by Friday night (or approve yet another CR), the government will close.

The countries that receive our taxpayers dollars:


Aid to nations

Ivory Coast — $138M no mans land

Democratic Republic of the

Congo — $213M

Ethiopia — $584M still?

Ghana — $175M

Kenya — $714M

Liberia — $219M

Malawi — $179M

Mali — $169M

Mozambique — $415M

Namibia — $103M

Nigeria — $648M

Rwanda — $241M still?

Senegal — $137M where?

South Africa — $586M They have diamonds and oil!

Sudan — $440M

Tanzania — $550M

Uganda — $480M good lord why?

Zambia — $409M

Indonesia — $228M

Philippines — $133M They don't need it.

Vietnam — $123M It's a communist utopia.

Ukraine — $124M What? Why?

CUT FOREIGN AID BUDGET NOW at DickMorris.com

$7.236Billion

Most of those places we have been pouring money into for decades. If they haven't figured it out by now, they aren't going to.

 

[The Infidel]

We have just about the highest infant mortality of any industrial nation. Cutting medical benefits for the young mothers will only make this worst. Ain't America great?

Stop aborting babies.... theres a start on that issue.


Take that red herring and go cook it, I hear they taste great this time of year.