How would YOU cut the deficit?

[candycorn]

What do you think is an 'acceptable' deficit?
The FY2009 deficit was $1413B - what will you cut to get down to that 'acceptable' deficit?

Note that to asnwer the 2nd question, you must include dollar amounts and explain where those figures came from.
That is:
Specify what programs you'd cut/taxes you'd raise, how much they would save/generate, and how you know.

Not sure how accurate it is but here is a tool I found on the Internet:

National Budget Simulation

I used the long form and did the following:

Spending ($2557.63 billion: cut $115.36 billion)

Military Spending ($377.98 billion: cut $68.12 billion)

$106.57 billion .... Military personnel (No Change)
$153.62 billion .... Operation and maintenance (No Change)
$80.84 billion ..... Procurement (No Change)
$0 billion ......... Research, development, test and evaluation
Cut $68.12 bil. from base of $68.129 bil.(-100%)
$16.15 billion ..... Military Construction, Family Housing and Other (No Change)
$17.99 billion ..... Atomic Energy Defense Activities (No Change)
$2.81 billion ...... Defense Related activities (No Change)

--------------​

Iraq and Afghanistan Operations ($80.35 billion: cut $31.49 billion)

$73.5 billion ...... Military Operations
Cut $31.49 bil. from base of $105.0 bil.(-30%)
$6.85 billion ...... Reconstruction aid (No Change)

--------------​

Military Retirement ($115.48 billion)

$40.83 billion ..... Military retirement (No Change)
$36.34 billion ..... Income security for veterans (No Change)
$3.24 billion ...... Veterans education, training, and rehabilitation (No Change)
$34.35 billion ..... Hospital and medical care for veterans and retired military (No Change)
$0.72 billion ...... Housing and other veterans benefits and services (No Change)

--------------​

International affairs ($15.8 billion: cut $15.78 billion)

$6.5 billion ....... International development and humanitarian assistance
Cut $6.49 bil. from base of $12.996 bil.(-50%)
$4.73 billion ...... International military aid
Cut $4.73 bil. from base of $9.466 bil.(-50%)
$3.99 billion ...... Conduct of foreign affairs
Cut $3.97 bil. from base of $7.974 bil.(-50%)
$0.58 billion ...... Foreign information and exchange activities
Cut $0.56 bil. from base of $1.154 bil.(-50%)

--------------​

General science, space, and technology ($23.97 billion)

$5.62 billion ...... National Science Foundation programs (No Change)
$3.44 billion ...... Department of Energy general science programs (No Change)
$14.91 billion ..... Space flight, research, and supporting activities (No Change)

--------------​

Non-Defense Energy Spending ($2.12 billion)

$0.73 billion ...... Energy supply (No Change)
$1.03 billion ...... Energy conservation and preparedness (No Change)
$0.36 billion ...... Energy information, preparedness, & regulation (No Change)

--------------​

Natural resources and environment ($31.16 billion)

$5.45 billion ...... Water resources (No Change)
$9.07 billion ...... Conservation and land management (No Change)
$3.12 billion ...... Recreational & Park resources (No Change)
$8.42 billion ...... Pollution control and abatement (No Change)
$5.1 billion ....... Other natural resources (No Change)

--------------​

Agriculture ($26.02 billion)

$21.73 billion ..... Farm income stabilization & crop insurance (No Change)
$4.29 billion ...... Agricultural research and services (No Change)

--------------​

Commerce and Housing Loan Programs ($6.82 billion)

$-4.28 billion ..... Federal Housing Loan Programs (No Change)
$2.17 billion ...... Postal service (No Change)
$-0.96 billion ..... Deposit insurance (No Change)
$7.96 billion ...... Universal service fund (No Change)
$1.93 billion ...... Other advancement of commerce (No Change)

--------------​

Transportation ($70.68 billion)

$36.51 billion ..... Highways and highway safety (No Change)
$8.51 billion ...... Mass transit (No Change)
$0.61 billion ...... Railroads (No Change)
$17.26 billion ..... Air Transportion (No Change)
$7.37 billion ...... Water transportation (No Change)
$0.42 billion ...... Other transportation (No Change)

--------------​

Community and regional development ($19.1 billion)

$6.25 billion ...... Community development (No Change)
$2.86 billion ...... Area and regional development (No Change)
$9.99 billion ...... Disaster relief and insurance (No Change)

--------------​

Education ($64.07 billion)

$38.57 billion ..... Elementary, Secondary & Vocational education (No Change)
$22.27 billion ..... Higher education (No Change)
$3.23 billion ...... Research and general education (No Change)

--------------​

Training, labor and unemployment ($47.81 billion)

$6.88 billion ...... Training and employment (No Change)
$1.6 billion ....... Labor law, statistics, and other administration (No Change)
$39.33 billion ..... Unemployment compensation (No Change)

--------------​

Non-Medicare Health Spending ($253.32 billion)

$192.72 billion .... Medicaid grants (No Change)
$6.23 billion ...... State Children's Health Insurance (No Change)
$3.17 billion ...... Indian health (No Change)
$3.24 billion ...... Substance abuse and mental health services (No Change)
$4.7 billion ....... Disease control, public health and bioterrorism (No Change)
$29.36 billion ..... Health research and training (No Change)
$3.01 billion ...... Food safety and occupational health and safety (No Change)
$10.89 billion ..... Other health care services (No Change)

--------------​

Medicare ($345.76 billion)

$182.76 billion .... Hospital insurance (HI) (No Change)
$115.14 billion .... Supplementary medical insurance (SMI) (No Change)
$46.7 billion ...... Prescription drug benefit (No Change)
$1.16 billion ...... Health care fraud (No Change)

--------------​

Civilian Retirement (Social Security excluded) ($72.02 billion)

$4.89 billion ...... Civilian retirement and disability insurance (No Change)
$58.22 billion ..... Federal employee retirement and disability (No Change)
$8.91 billion ...... Federal employees' and retired employees' health benefits (No Change)

--------------​

Aid to Low-Income Families ($206.78 billion)

$38.45 billion ..... Housing assistance (No Change)
$37.58 billion ..... Food stamps (No Change)
$19.3 billion ...... Other nutrition programs (WIC, school lunches) (No Change)
$38.66 billion ..... Supplemental security income (SSI) (No Change)
$18.21 billion ..... Family support payments (TANF) (No Change)
$34.05 billion ..... Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) (No Change)
$13.15 billion ..... Child tax credit (No Change)
$4.8 billion ....... Child care funds (No Change)
$2.58 billion ...... Other aid to low-income families (No Change)

--------------​

General Family Support ($25.62 billion)

$6.56 billion ...... Foster care and adoption assistance (No Change)
$2.92 billion ...... Child support and family support programs (No Change)
$16.14 billion ..... Social and family services (No Change)

--------------​

Social security ($544.82 billion)

$454.4 billion ..... Old-age and survivors insurance(OASI) (No Change)
$90.42 billion ..... Disability insurance (DI) (No Change)
Administration of justice ($43.1 billion)

$11.35 billion ..... Federal law enforcement (No Change)
$10.46 billion ..... Border security and immigration (No Change)
$10.91 billion ..... Federal litigation and judicial activities (No Change)
$6.16 billion ...... Federal prison system (No Change)
$4.22 billion ...... Criminal justice assistance (No Change)

--------------​

General government administration ($17.76 billion)

$3.67 billion ...... Legislative functions (No Change)
$1.14 billion ...... Executive office programs (No Change)
$9.8 billion ....... IRS & other fiscal opertations (No Change)
$3.15 billion ...... Other general government (No Change)

--------------​

Net_interest_long ($211.08 billion)

$211.08 billion .... Net Interest (No Change)
Undistributed offsetting receipts and allowance ($-43.99 billion)

$-43.99 billion .... Undistributed offsetting receipts and allowance (No Change)
Tax Expenditures and Tax Cuts ($878.66 billion: cut $196.46 billion)

--------------​

2001 and 2003 Tax Cuts ($101.58 billion: cut $193.3 billion)

$0 billion ......... Benefits for Richest 1% of Taxpayers
Cut $116.95 bil. from base of $116.9562 bil.(-100%)
$0 billion ......... Benefits for Next Richest 4%
Cut $28.86 bil. from base of $28.8708 bil.(-100%)
$29.46 billion ..... Benefits for Next Richest 15%
Cut $29.45 bil. from base of $58.92 bil.(-50%)
$34.88 billion ..... Benefits for Next 20% of Taxpayers
Cut $8.71 bil. from base of $43.6008 bil.(-20%)
$37.24 billion ..... Benefits for Bottom 60% of Taxpayers
Cut $9.3 bil. from base of $46.546 bil.(-20%)

--------------​

Corporate Tax Breaks ($57.21 billion: cut $3.14 billion)

$12.59 billion ..... Untaxed Foreign Profits
Cut $3.14 bil. from base of $15.740 bil.(-20%)
$9.87 billion ...... R&D Tax Breaks (No Change)
$4.05 billion ...... Energy, Mining and Timber Tax Breaks (No Change)
$9.93 billion ...... Tax Free Bonds (No Change)
$20.77 billion ..... Other Corporate Tax Breaks (No Change)

--------------​

Personal Business & Investment Benefits ($86.71 billion)

$30.38 billion ..... Lower tax rates on capital gains (excluding housing) (No Change)
$28.76 billion ..... Step-up basis of capital gains at death (No Change)
$23.01 billion ..... Tax-Free Bonds (No Change)
$1.36 billion ...... Enterprise & Empowerment Zones and New Markets credit (No Change)
$3.2 billion ....... Other personal investment tax breaks (No Change)

--------------​

Pension & Retirement Deductions ($168.47 billion)

$51.05 billion ..... Employer-paid Pensions (No Change)
$58.12 billion ..... 401Ks & Keogh plans (No Change)
$7.31 billion ...... IRAs (No Change)
$29.48 billion ..... Group and personal life insurance benefits (No Change)
$19.77 billion ..... Untaxed Social Security benefits (No Change)
$2.74 billion ...... Other retirement benefits (No Change)

--------------​

Health Insurance Tax Benefits ($140.99 billion)

$125.69 billion .... Employer-paid Health Insurance (No Change)
$4.33 billion ...... Self-employed medical insurance premiums (No Change)
$1.83 billion ...... Medical Savings/Health Savings Accounts (No Change)
$9.14 billion ...... Deductibility of medical expenses (No Change)

--------------​

Housing tax benefits ($163.71 billion)

$76.03 billion ..... Mortgage Interest (No Change)
$14.83 billion ..... Deductibility of property taxes on homes (No Change)
$36.27 billion ..... Capital gains exclusion on home sales (No Change)
$29.72 billion ..... Exclusion of net imputed rental income on owner-occupied homes (No Change)
$2.11 billion ...... Housing bonds & low-income housing investments (No Change)
$4.75 billion ...... Exception from passive loss rules for $25,000 of rental loss (No Change)

--------------​

Other individual deductions and exemptions ($159.99 billion)

$37.89 billion ..... Charitable contributions (No Change)
$34.62 billion ..... State and local taxes (w/o home property) (No Change)
$6.55 billion ...... Soldiers and veterans tax benefits (No Change)
$5.94 billion ...... Workmen's compensation (No Change)
$14.01 billion ..... Education deductions and credits (No Change)
$32.81 billion ..... Child credit (No Change)
$2.81 billion ...... Child care credits and deductions (No Change)
$2 billion ......... Deduction for the blind and elderly (No Change)
$7.86 billion ...... Social Security benefits for disabled and survivors (No Change)
$3.76 billion ...... Untaxed foreign personal income (No Change)
$3.28 billion ...... Employee parking and transit expenses (No Change)
$1.25 billion ...... Adoption and foster care tax credits (No Change)
$5.42 billion ...... Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)- revenue loss component (No Change)
$1.79 billion ...... Other fringe benefits (No Change)

--------------​

Your New Budget

Budget Totals

Old budget was $3748.1268 billion
($2673 billion in spending, $1075.1268 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).
New budget is $3436.29 billion
($2557.63 billion in spending, $878.66 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).


You have cut the deficit by $311.84 billion.

Your new deficit is $89.16 billion.


A lot of stuff I want to cut isn't on there; I didn't see the NEA for example. I didn't see a place to raise the price of postage stamps. I'd like it a bit more itemized but its important to remember that this is a 1 year budget. We need a multi-year plan set up by a commission that will be above politics (insert snicker here). But for what it's worth; theres the answer to your question.

What do you think?

 

[hortysir]

I used your link, CandyCorn...





**********
Your new deficit is $-348.55 billion.

Oops!

You've cut so much that the federal budget now contains a substantial surplus. Many economists warn that this budget may help induce or prolong a recession, and ordinary citizens demand a refund. You might want to cut taxes or raise spending.
***********

 

[candycorn]

I think its a shame that people who bother to post and at least act quasi-interested in subjects don't care enough to take the matter seriously. Its quite easy to point at these people and see them as wrong but really, do you think anybody in Federal Government would give yours or my thoughts 2 moments of consideration? Nope...whoever looks at what I itemized would say to themselves, "Well, there goes X number of votes." with every cut in spending or tax breaks.

Still, why not list what you'd cut and if you really feel civic-minded, tell us why.
In my not-too-distant-past I was very much in favor of taking the Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and New Jersey out of mothballs and re-commissioning the IOWA CLASS after outfitting them with the extreme top of the line weapons systems. Theres just something about a 2,500 pound shell coming through your roof that makes most dictators think twice. I'm far from a dove.

But hell,

We have whisper quite subs that nobody can touch right now; do we really need a Virginia Class? No.
We have air superiority fighters both land and sea based. Do we really need an F35? No.

While we're at it...
We have unlimited outlets for information and entertainment. Do we really need to fund NPR/CPB/NEA? No.
We have trains now that few ride; do we really need to make faster trains nobody will ride? No.

---------

This is a list of current US Ambassadors according to WIKI (Country, name, host city, when confirmed)

Afghanistan Ref Lt. General Karl Eikenberry Kabul April 2009
Albania Ref Alexander A. Arvizu Tirana December 2010
Algeria Ref David D. Pearce Algiers August 2008
Andorra Ref Alan Solomont Madrid December 2009
Angola Ref Christopher J. McMullen Luanda September 2010
Antigua and Barbuda[1] Ref Vacant since 2008. Brent Hardt, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Bridgetown January 2009
Argentina Ref Vilma S. Martinez Buenos Aires July 2009
Armenia Ref Marie L. Yovanovitch Yerevan August 2008
Australia Ref Jeff Bleich Canberra November 2009
Austria Ref William Eacho
Vienna August 2009
Azerbaijan Ref Matthew J. Bryza (recess appointment) Baku December 2010
The Bahamas Ref Nicole Avant Nassau September 2009
Bahrain Ref J. Adam Ereli Manama June 2007
Bangladesh Ref James F. Moriarty Dhaka March 2009
Barbados[1] Ref Vacant since 2008. Brent Hardt, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Bridgetown January 2009
Belarus Ref Vacant since March 12, 2008. Michael Scanlan, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Minsk
Belgium Ref Howard W. Gutman Brussels August 2009
Belize Ref Vinai K. Thummalapally Belmopan June 2009
Benin Ref James Knight Cotonou August 2009
Bolivia Ref Vacant since September 10, 2008 John S. Creamer, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. La Paz August 2009
Bosnia and Herzegovina Ref Patrick S. Moon Sarajevo August 2009
Botswana Ref Stephen J. Nolan Gaborone June 2008
Brazil Ref Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. Brasilia December 2009
Brunei Ref Vacant since June 6, 2010 Alexander Barrasso, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Bandar Seri Begawan June 2010
Bulgaria Ref James B. Warlick, Jr. Sofia December 2009
Burkina Faso Ref Thomas Dougherty Ouagadougou May 2010
Burma[2] Ref Vacant since September 30, 1990 Larry M. Dinger, Chargé d'Affaires Rangoon September 2008
Burundi Ref Pamela J. H. Slutz Bujumbura November 2009
Cambodia Ref Carol A. Rodley Phnom Penh October 2008
Cameroon Ref Robert P. Jackson Yaoundé September 2010
Canada Ref David Jacobson Ottawa October 2009
Cape Verde Ref Vacant since 2010. Dana Brown, Chargé d'Affaires a. i. Praia
Central African Republic Ref Lawrence D. Wohlers Bangui September 2010
Chad Ref Mark Boulware Ndjamena September 2010
Chile Ref Alejandro Daniel Wolff Santiago July 2010
China Ref Jon Huntsman, Jr. Beijing August 2009
Colombia Ref Peter Michael Mckinley Bogotá August 2010
Comoros Ref Vacant since 2010. Eric W. Stromayer, Chargé d'Affaires a. i. Antananarivo
Democratic Republic of the Congo Ref James F. Entwistle Kinshasa August 2010
Republic of the Congo Ref Christopher W. Murray Brazzaville August 2010
Costa Rica Ref Anne Slaughter Andrew San José December 2009
Côte d'Ivoire Ref Phillip Carter III Abidjan 2010
Croatia Ref James B. Foley Zagreb September 2009
Cuba[3] Ref
Ref Jonathan D. Farrar
Chief of Mission Havana 2008
Cyprus Ref Frank C. Urbancic, Jr. Nicosia August 2008
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus[4]
Czech Republic Ref Norman L. Eisen (recess appointment) Prague December 2010
Denmark Ref Laurie S. Fulton Copenhagen July 2009
Djibouti Ref James C. Swan Djibouti October 2008
Dominica[1] Ref Vacant since 2008. Brent Hardt, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Bridgetown 2009
Dominican Republic Ref Raul H. Yzaguirre Santo Domingo September 29, 2010
East Timor (Timor-Leste) Ref Judith Fergin Dili September 2010
Ecuador Ref Heather M. Hodges Quito October 2008
Egypt Ref Margaret Scobey Cairo March 2008
El Salvador Ref Mari Carmen Aponte San Salvador September 2010
Equatorial Guinea Ref Alberto M. Fernandez Malabo February 2010
Eritrea Ref Vacant sincs July 2010. Joel Reifman, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Asmara July 2010
Estonia Ref Michael C. Polt Tallinn September 2009
Ethiopia Ref Donald E. Booth Addis Ababa April 2010
Fiji[5] Ref C. Steven McGann Suva October 2008
Finland Ref Bruce J. Oreck Helsinki August 2009
France[6] Ref Charles Rivkin Paris July 2009
Gabon[7] Ref Eric D. Benjaminson Libreville July 2010
The Gambia Ref Pamela White Banjul September 2010
Georgia Ref John R. Bass Tbilisi October 2009
Germany Ref Philip D. Murphy Berlin August 2009
Ghana Ref Donald G. Teitelbaum Ghana June 2008
Greece Ref Daniel Bennett Smith Athens September 2010
Grenada[1] Ref Vacant since 2008. Brent Hardt, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Bridgetown 2009
Guatemala Ref Stephen G. McFarland Guatemala August 2008
Guinea Ref Patricia Moller Conakry October 2009
Guinea-Bissau[8] Ref Marcia Bernicat Dakar June 2008
Guyana Ref Vacant since Unknown Thomas C. Pierce, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Georgetown
Haiti Ref Kenneth H. Merten Port-au-Prince June 2009
Holy See Ref Miguel H. Díaz Vatican August 2009
Honduras Ref Hugo Llorens Tegucigalpa September 2008
Hungary Ref Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis Budapest January 2010
Iceland Ref Luis E. Arreaga Reykjavik August 2010
India Ref Timothy J. Roemer New Delhi July 2009
Indonesia Ref Scot Marciel Jakarta August 2010
Iran[9] Ref
Iraq Ref James Franklin Jeffrey Baghdad August 2010
Ireland Ref Dan Rooney Dublin July 2009
Israel Ref James B. Cunningham Tel Aviv August 2008
Italy[10] Ref David Thorne Rome August 2009
Jamaica Ref Pamela E. Bridgewater Kingston December 2010
Japan Ref John Roos Tokyo August 2009
Jordan Ref Robert S. Beecroft Amman July 2008
Kazakhstan Ref John Ordway, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Astana January 2011
Kenya Ref Michael E. Ranneberger Nairobi June 2006
Kiribati[5] Ref C. Steven McGann Suva October 2008
North Korea[11] Ref Sung Kim, U.S. Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks
South Korea Ref Kathleen Stephens Seoul August 2008
Kosovo Ref Christopher William Dell Pristina May 2009
Kuwait Ref Deborah K. Jones Kuwait City April 2008
Kyrgyzstan Ref Tatiana C. Gfoeller Bishkek October 2008
Laos Ref Karen B. Stewart Vientiane November 2010
Latvia Ref Judith G. Garber Riga August 2009
Lebanon Ref Maura Connelly Beirut September 2010
Lesotho Ref Michele T. Bond Maseru September 2010
Liberia Ref Linda Thomas-Greenfield Monrovia July 2008
Libya Ref Gene A. Cretz Tripoli December 2008
Liechtenstein[12] Ref Donald S. Beyer, Jr. Bern August 2009
Lithuania Ref Anne E. Derse Vilnius September 2009
Luxembourg Ref Vacant since 2010. Arnold H. Campbell, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Luxembourg 2010
Macedonia Ref Philip T. Reeker Skopje September 2008
Madagascar[13] Ref Vacant since 2010. Eric W. Stromayer, Chargé d'Affaires a. i. Antananarivo
Malawi Ref Vacant since 2010. Lisa Vickers, Chargé d'Affaires a. i. Lilongwe
Malaysia Ref Paul W. Jones Kuala Lumpur September 2010
Maldives[14] Patricia A. Butenis Colombo August 2009
Mali Ref Gillian A. Milovanovic Bamako February 2008
Malta Ref Douglas Kmiec Valletta August 2009
Marshall Islands Ref Martha Campbell Majuro August 2009
Mauritania Ref Jo Ellen Powell Nouakchott September 2010
Mauritius[15] Ref Mary Jo Wills Port Louis December 2009
Mexico Ref Carlos Pascual Mexico City August 2009
Micronesia, Federated States of Ref Peter Alan Prahar Kolonia November 2009
Moldova Ref Asif J. Chaudhry Chisinau September 2008
Monaco[6][16] Ref Charles Rivkin Paris July 2009
Mongolia Ref Jonathan S. Addleton Ulaanbaatar August 2009
Montenegro Ref Vacant since August 2010. Bennett Y. Lowenthal, Chargé d'Affaires a. i. Podgorica
Morocco Ref Samuel L. Kaplan Rabat July 2009
Mozambique Ref Leslie V. Rowe Maputo 2010
Myanmar (see Burma above)[2]
Namibia Ref Wanda L. Nesbitt Windhoek September 2010
Nauru[5] Ref C. Steven McGann Suva October 2008
Nepal Ref Scott H. DeLisi Kathmandu March 2010
Netherlands Ref Fay Hartog-Levin The Hague August 2009
New Zealand[17] Ref David Huebner Wellington November 2009
Nicaragua Ref Robert J. Callahan Managua July 2008
Niger Ref Bisa Williams Niamey 2010
Nigeria Ref Terence P. McCulley Abuja 2010
Norway Ref Barry B. White Oslo September 2009
Oman Ref Richard J. Schmierer Muscat July 2009
Pakistan Ref Cameron Munter Islamabad September 2010
Palau[18] Helen Reed-Rowe Koror September 2010
Panama Ref Phyllis M. Powers Panama August 2010
Papua New Guinea[19] Teddy Bernard Taylor Port Moresby August 2009
Paraguay Ref Liliana Ayalde Asunción June 2008
Peru Ref Rose M. Likins Lima August 2010
Philippines[18] Ref Harry K. Thomas, Jr. Manila March 2010
Poland Ref Lee A. Feinstein Warsaw September 2009
Portugal Ref Allan J. Katz Lisbon March 2010
Qatar Ref Joseph E. LeBaron Doha July 2008
Romania Ref Mark H. Gitenstein Bucharest July 2009
Russia Ref John Beyrle Moscow June 2008
Rwanda Ref W. Stuart Symington Kigali August 2008
Saint Kitts and Nevis[1] Ref Vacant since 2008. Brent Hardt, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Bridgetown 2009
Saint Lucia[1] Ref Vacant since 2008. Brent Hardt, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Bridgetown 2009
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[1] Ref Vacant since 2008. Brent Hardt, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Bridgetown 2009
Samoa[17] Ref David Huebner Apia November 2009
San Marino[10] Ref David Thorne Florence July 2009
São Tomé and Príncipe[7] Ref Eric D. Benjaminson Libreville July 2010
Saudi Arabia Ref James B. Smith Riyadh August 2009
Senegal[8] Ref Marcia S. Bernicat Dakar June 2008
Serbia Ref Mary Burce Warlick Belgrade December 2009
Seychelles[15] Mary Jo Wills Port Louis December 2009
Sierra Leone Michael S. Owen Freetown July 2010
Singapore Ref David Adelman Singapore 2010
Slovakia Ref Theodore Sedgwick Bratislava July 2010
Slovenia Ref Joseph A. Mussomeli Ljubljana September 2010
Solomon Islands[19] Teddy Bernard Taylor Honiara August 2009
Somalia[20][21] Ref Virtual Presence Post
Michael Ranneberger, U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Somalia
South Africa Ref Donald Gips Pretoria July 2009
South Ossetia[22]
Spain[23] Ref Alan Solomont Madrid December 2009
Sri Lanka[14] Ref Patricia A. Butenis Colombo August 2009
Sudan[24] Ref Vacant since 2002. Robert E. Whitehead, Chargé d’Affaires a. i. Khartoum
Suriname Ref John R. Nay Paramaribo July 2009
Swaziland Ref Earl Michael Irving Mbabane July 2009
Sweden Ref Matthew Winthrop Barzun Stockholm August 2009
Switzerland[12] Ref Donald S. Beyer, Jr. Bern July 2009
Syria[25] Ref Robert Stephen Ford (recess appointment) Damascus December 2010
Taiwan[26]
Tajikistan Ref Kenneth E. Gross, Jr. Dushanbe August 2009
Tanzania Ref Alfonso E. Lenhardt Dar es Salaam August 2009
Thailand Ref Kristie Kenney Bangkok September 2010
Togo Ref Patricia McMahon Hawkins Lomé August 2008
Tonga[5] Ref C. Steven McGann Tonga October 2008
Trinidad and Tobago Ref Beatrice Wilkinson Welters Port of Spain March 2010
Tunisia Ref Gordon Gray Tunis August 2009
Turkey Ref Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr. (recess appointment) Ankara December 2010
Turkmenistan[27] Vacant.
Eileen Malloy, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Ashgabat
Tuvalu[5] Ref C. Steven McGann Suva October 2008
Uganda Jerry P. Lanier Kampala August 2009
Ukraine Ref John F. Tefft Kiev November 2009
United Arab Emirates Ref Richard G. Olson, Jr. Abu Dhabi 2008
United Kingdom[28] Ref Louis Susman London July 2009
Uruguay Ref David D. Nelson Montevideo December 2009
Uzbekistan Ref Vacant since July 2010. Duane C. Butcher, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Tashkent
Vanuatu[19] Teddy Bernard Taylor Port Vila August 2009
Venezuela Ref Vacant / Expelled (2008) [29]
John Caulfield, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Caracas
Vietnam Ref Michael W. Michalak Hanoi August 2007
Western Sahara[30]
Yemen Ref Gerald M. Feierstein Sana’a September 2010
Zambia Ref Mark C. Storella Lusaka August 2010
Zimbabwe Ref Charles A. Ray Harare August 2009

Thats 203 pieces of dead wood. Not really but do we really need someone to monitor the situation in Vanuatu? Lets say that each of them make $50,000 a year. Thats $10 M that we could use to fund education for 500 students @ $20,000 a year. And this doesn't count their budgets, their allowances for such perilous duty and all of the other perks they get.

I agree that we do need amabassadors to Mexico, Canada, most countries in Europe, and other important or strategic places on the globe. Other than that; get rid of them.

 

[G.T.]

What do you think is an 'acceptable' deficit?
The FY2009 deficit was $1413B - what will you cut to get down to that 'acceptable' deficit?

Note that to asnwer the 2nd question, you must include dollar amounts and explain where those figures came from.
That is:
Specify what programs you'd cut/taxes you'd raise, how much they would save/generate, and how you know.

How would I cut the deficit?

I would order a cause and effect study of cutting everything that we spend money on, and not just willy nilly cutting things that may end up costing more in the long-run.

 

[Two Thumbs]

What do you think is an 'acceptable' deficit?
The FY2009 deficit was $1413B - what will you cut to get down to that 'acceptable' deficit?

Note that to asnwer the 2nd question, you must include dollar amounts and explain where those figures came from.
That is:
Specify what programs you'd cut/taxes you'd raise, how much they would save/generate, and how you know.

How? I think the best way is elimination. there are many programs that the Fed has no valid reason to be running (I know you want specifics, but there's just to many)

close most foreign ports and bases. Keep just enough people around in case of emergencies.

end prohabition, transfer the DEA agents to other law enforcements.

Eliminate tax loopholes and the silly deductions of having kids or being married.

I'd have to have flat tax - fair tax researched as a viable alternative, it either or both worked well, shrink the IRS down to a few agents.

No more wars with people that mean us no harm.

Leave the UN

Shrink welfare and transfer that money to grants for training and education.

Debt level? As close to 0 as possible. with a rotating debt that is paid off at the end of each fiscal cycle.

I'm not an economist and I have nothing to back up these ideas.

 

[M14 Shooter]

A lot of stuff I want to cut isn't on there; I didn't see the NEA for example. I didn't see a place to raise the price of postage stamps. I'd like it a bit more itemized but its important to remember that this is a 1 year budget. We need a multi-year plan set up by a commission that will be above politics (insert snicker here). But for what it's worth; theres the answer to your question.

What do you think?

Interesting website - thank you for posting it.

The calculations here are questionable - cutting the deficit by $300B will leave at least $1200B in deficits.
Further, the idea that tax cuts can be counted as budget expenditures is laughable.

Bias, anyone?

Otherwise, all you've done is raise taxes and cut the military - and got almost nothing for it.

 

[M14 Shooter]

A lot of stuff I want to cut isn't on there; I didn't see the NEA for example. I didn't see a place to raise the price of postage stamps. I'd like it a bit more itemized but its important to remember that this is a 1 year budget. We need a multi-year plan set up by a commission that will be above politics (insert snicker here). But for what it's worth; theres the answer to your question.

What do you think?

Another rather amusing example of the bias in the site - see bolded red.

Budget Totals
Old budget was $3748.1268 billion
($2673 billion in spending, $1075.1268 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).
New budget is $2425.03 billion
($1303.68 billion in spending, $1121.35 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).

You have cut the deficit by $1323.1 billion.
Your new deficit is $-922.09 billion.

Oops!
You've cut so much that the federal budget now contains a substantial surplus. Many economists warn that this budget may help induce or prolong a recession, and ordinary citizens demand a refund. You might want to cut taxes or raise spending.

 

[hortysir]

I left everything as is and still increased the debt!!







Budget Totals

Old budget was $3747.36 billion
($2672.527 billion in spending, $1074.833 billion in tax expenditures and cuts). New budget is $3747.38 billion
($2672.55 billion in spending, $1074.83 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).


You have increased the deficit by $0.01 billion.

Your new deficit is $401.01 billion.

 

[M14 Shooter]

I left everything as is and still increased the debt!!

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the 2006 fiscal deficit is projected to be $296 billion. This does not include the costs of the Iraq War, so in the simulation the deficit has been increased by $105 billion, the costs of the supplemental appropriations for Iraq and Afghanistan operation for fiscal 2005, for a total projected deficit of $401 billion. These costs and the associated deficits can be adjusted in the similuation based on your estimates of the likely continuing costs of the war or whether to scale back or end those operations.

First, this is woefully out of date.

Second:
FY2005 deficit was ACTUALLY $318.3B
FY2006 deficit was ACTUALLY $248.2B

Remember when these numbers were TERRIBLE?

 

[hortysir]

I left everything as is and still increased the debt!!

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the 2006 fiscal deficit is projected to be $296 billion. This does not include the costs of the Iraq War, so in the simulation the deficit has been increased by $105 billion, the costs of the supplemental appropriations for Iraq and Afghanistan operation for fiscal 2005, for a total projected deficit of $401 billion. These costs and the associated deficits can be adjusted in the similuation based on your estimates of the likely continuing costs of the war or whether to scale back or end those operations.

First, this is woefully out of date.

Second:
FY2005 deficit was ACTUALLY $318.3B
FY2006 deficit was ACTUALLY $248.2B

Remember when these numbers were TERRIBLE?

Right?!
It was totally unacceptable.
Debt was so bad that Bam-Bam even voted to deny raising the debt ceiling

 

[candycorn]

A lot of stuff I want to cut isn't on there; I didn't see the NEA for example. I didn't see a place to raise the price of postage stamps. I'd like it a bit more itemized but its important to remember that this is a 1 year budget. We need a multi-year plan set up by a commission that will be above politics (insert snicker here). But for what it's worth; theres the answer to your question.

What do you think?

Interesting website - thank you for posting it.

The calculations here are questionable - cutting the deficit by $300B will leave at least $1200B in deficits.
Further, the idea that tax cuts can be counted as budget expenditures is laughable.

Bias, anyone?

Otherwise, all you've done is raise taxes and cut the military - and got almost nothing for it.

You're Welcome.

As stated, it's a 1 year budget; we need a 12 year plan that is apolitical and shares the sacrifice and spreads the pain among us all. If there were itemized social programs I would have done quite a bit more damage

But I seriously think we spend gobs too much money on the military.