Name 3 new laws that would save us money.

[M14 Shooter]

1: The act that repeals any and every entitlement program.
2: Unnecessary
3: Unnecessary

 

[Foxfyre]

So, there's talk on the street that the government would like to trim the budget a bit. I can think of 3 new laws that would instantly begin to save us tax payers money.

(1) All members of the government, except for the President, travel on ordinary commercial airlines when a flight is necessary. They should travel in coach.

(2) No expense accounts. If you take a colleague to lunch, it's on own dime and not the taxpayer.

(3) When the President signs a bill into law, only one pen should be used. He doesn't need to use a dozen or more pens just so he can hand them out as gifts to his political cronies.

What about you? Any ideas on how the government can save money?

I don't usually agree with you but I really like the first two points you make. Only exception for the 1st rule I'd make is international travel of an important position, such as the VP, or SOS. Other than that good idea. And #2 I think just about everyone can agree upon.

I would also get rid of all health insurance for congress paid by the taxpayers.

I agree. Also the lucrative retirement plans on top of good salaries and expense accounts. I have no problem with Congress negotiating good plans that members of Congress could participate in, but it should be at the Congressperson's expense, not the taxpayer. These are supposed to be citizen representatives of the states who are sent to Washington for a specific term of office and, unless re-elected at the discretion of their contituents, serve their time and then return home to live under the laws they pass for everybody else. The Founders would roll over in their graves if they saw the career politicians we have today and the immense wealth they are able to accumulate while in office. I think we would see a HUGE savings if the principle of citizen legislator was reinstated.

 

[JBeukema]

1: The act that repeals any and every entitlement program.
2: Unnecessary
3: Unnecessary

Yeah, 'cause fuck our vets

 

[Foxfyre]

1: The act that repeals any and every entitlement program.
2: Unnecessary
3: Unnecessary

Yeah, 'cause fuck our vets

Veterans benefits are not entitlements. You don't get them just for being born or for belonging to a particular group. They are a contractual benefit provided for those who voluntarily put themselves into harms way in the service of their country.

 

[M14 Shooter]

1: The act that repeals any and every entitlement program.
2: Unnecessary
3: Unnecessary

Yeah, 'cause fuck our vets

Veterans benefits are not entitlements. You don't get them just for being born or for belonging to a particular group. They are a contractual benefit provided for those who voluntarily put themselves into harms way in the service of their country.

This is correct. Veterans provided a service to the government; their benefits are compensation for same.

 

[mdn2000]

Unless you stop Congress or Governments ability to collect revenue, for any purpose, no matter if its a tax or fee, you will never control spending.

 

[PoliticalChic]

So, there's talk on the street that the government would like to trim the budget a bit. I can think of 3 new laws that would instantly begin to save us tax payers money.

(1) All members of the government, except for the President, travel on ordinary commercial airlines when a flight is necessary. They should travel in coach.

(2) No expense accounts. If you take a colleague to lunch, it's on own dime and not the taxpayer.

(3) When the President signs a bill into law, only one pen should be used. He doesn't need to use a dozen or more pens just so he can hand them out as gifts to his political cronies.

What about you? Any ideas on how the government can save money?

"The urge to pass new laws must be seen as an illness, not much different from the urge to bite old women. Anyone suspected of suffering from it should either be treated with the appropriate pills or, if it is too late for that, elected to parliament [or Congress, as the case may be] and paid a huge salary with endless holidays, to do nothing whatever." Auberon Waugh

 

[Foxfyre]

Unless you stop Congress or Governments ability to collect revenue, for any purpose, no matter if its a tax or fee, you will never control spending.

The Republic envisioned by the Founders cannot exist without a means to guarantee and protect the unalienable rights of the people. That is what the function of the federal government is supposed to be and they do have to be able to collect sufficient revenues to pay for the cost of them doing that. I have no problem with that.

The key is making it illegal upon fine, imprisonment, or at the very least expulsion from the Congress or other government position to use the people's money for any form of favor, benevolence, charity, bribe, payoff, reward, etc. Whatever the federal government does should be for the benefit of all without prejudice or any form of favoritism.

If the Congress is unable to use our money to buy our votes, we won't have any money problems at the federal level and this country will again be the most solvent, most free, most strong, most prosperous nation in the world.

 

[JBeukema]

1: The act that repeals any and every entitlement program.
2: Unnecessary
3: Unnecessary

Yeah, 'cause fuck our vets

Veterans benefits are not entitlements.

• S: (n) entitlement (right granted by law or contract (especially a right to benefits)) "entitlements make up the major part of the federal budget"

WordNet Search - 3.0

You don't get them just for being born or for belonging to a particular group

So they're not just for veterans?

. They are a contractual benefit

The very definition of entitlement.

 

[mdn2000]

Unless you stop Congress or Governments ability to collect revenue, for any purpose, no matter if its a tax or fee, you will never control spending.

The Republic envisioned by the Founders cannot exist without a means to guarantee and protect the unalienable rights of the people. That is what the function of the federal government is supposed to be and they do have to be able to collect sufficient revenues to pay for the cost of them doing that. I have no problem with that.

The key is making it illegal upon fine, imprisonment, or at the very least expulsion from the Congress or other government position to use the people's money for any form of favor, benevolence, charity, bribe, payoff, reward, etc. Whatever the federal government does should be for the benefit of all without prejudice or any form of favoritism.

If the Congress is unable to use our money to buy our votes, we won't have any money problems at the federal level and this country will again be the most solvent, most free, most strong, most prosperous nation in the world.

I have no problem with the function of government and the paying for it, on our founding that was funded by taxing imports, I have to say I believe even John Paul Jones did not receive a salary.

Regardless what is Justice or Fair, how much money, of a dollar, do you think all government has a need for and why is that need a percentage vs. the actual cost.

I do not think there should be a tax above 10% on a dollar, why, as a founder said, because thats all a baptist pays.

So above a 10% tax what is fair, why is it fair and just to charge thousands to bring a wife home who is a citizen in Brazil, why must I pay fifty grand or better to build my own house, why must I pay fifty grand or better to start my own business, why can any city decide what to tax me, on top of the county, on top of the EPA, on top of the FCC, on top of the California Coastal Commission as well as the California Air Resource board.

Government has become tyrannical only because of the uncontrolled ability to collect tax, restrict collecting or raising of money buy anyone and everyone in government and you stop the waste and abuse of power.

If the money is there, someone will spend it, that is guaranteed.

 

[JFK_USA]

1. Cut defense spending by 50% and cut nuclear spending. We have enough nukes, don't need anymore.

2. Eliminate tax loopholes and make rich people for once pay their fair share. "Fair tax" is a joke and a way to ensure rich people will NEVER pay taxes. I guarantee it. It will destroy the economy because it will decrease consumer spending across the board and considering that is the majority of the economy, will destroy our economy and our place as a superpower.

Right there we would pay off our debts.

 

[KGB]

No more printing and reprinting and re reprinting of anything in the USA that is not in English.

agreed wholeheartedly. Make English the official language & be done with it.

Stop foreign aid. We need to help ourselves before we can help anyone else and we are starving for food and jobs and medical care.

agreed on the foreign aid. If private charities wish to do this, fine.

Allow only public transport...or those who have the land, horse and buggy. Foods that need to be shipped, allow truckers and trains to haul it. Get rid of automobiles. Or, only allow automobiles that run on solar energy. Gas hogs made illegal.

Okay, listing badly on this one.

Make it illegal to pay guys that hit balls in tiny little holes 3 miles away....guys that chase a weird shaped ball across a field and kill each other trying to get it to the opposite side..and guys that bounce a ball around a court trying to get it in a basket..plus guys running around like their heads are cut off while scratching their nuts and spitting...more than the average "joe".

these are all private businesses that pay these salaries.

Could we finally eliminate goverment agencies that were never supposed to come into existance? Say the Depts of Education, Interior, National Endowment of the Arts, Housing & Urban Development, etc.

 

[syrenn]

Flat tax. No exceptions. Everyone pays the same percentage.

All government workers and officials to be paid government minium wage.

Air travel restrictions:
Except for the president (and anyone else who fits on airforce one with him) all politicians and staff must share our pain, and fly domestic carriers. No private plains for politicians and family members.

 

[Foxfyre]

Okay we've got them flying coach unless they want to pay out of pocket upgrade to first class. Way to go.

How about we also say that any family members, non essential aides or staff, and any friends and business cronies who want to come along will have to pay their own way? I get more than a little frustrated at news clips of huge entourages accompanying this person or that person knowing that they are spending more money on that single trip than I will pay in taxes in my entire lifetime.

I want them to look at every dime as if THEY had to work for it and do without luxuries and a lot of wants in order to pay it into the people's treasury. I want them to stop looking at it as the government's money to spend any way it wants. It isn't. It is our money and we deserve to have it treated with respect.

 

[Mr. Sauerkraut]

"three and you´re out"
"you do adult crime you sit adult time"
"you´re allowed to have a gun"

 

[syrenn]

Okay we've got them flying coach unless they want to pay out of pocket upgrade to first class. Way to go.

How about we also say that any family members, non essential aides or staff, and any friends and business cronies who want to come along will have to pay their own way? I get more than a little frustrated at news clips of huge entourages accompanying this person or that person knowing that they are spending more money on that single trip than I will pay in taxes in my entire lifetime.

I want them to look at every dime as if THEY had to work for it and do without luxuries and a lot of wants in order to pay it into the people's treasury. I want them to stop looking at it as the government's money to spend any way it wants. It isn't. It is our money and we deserve to have it treated with respect.

OOhh.. foxfyre. Good amendment. Coach and if they want an upgrade...pay for it. Watch how fast the airlines are fixed.



Yank "company" (haha) credit cards. If you want it, buy it out of pocket. No more wining and dining and living large on the government tit.

 

[mdn2000]

Flat tax. No exceptions. Everyone pays the same percentage.

All government workers and officials to be paid government minium wage.

Air travel restrictions:
Except for the president (and anyone else who fits on airforce one with him) all politicians and staff must share our pain, and fly domestic carriers. No private plains for politicians and family members.

Tax, seems so easy, yet you could study the tax system for years, as a student, at the best University in the world, that to me would seem to indicate people have lost their minds as to what is reasonable as far as tax goes.

Everyone pays the same percentage, that seems perfect, and pay it once when you spend a buck is my idea, I work, take all that money and buy my food, my money is gone, I have been taxed, no need for a tax attorney, a Federal audit of my life, no burden on me, no intrusion into my private life by government.

So many positive aspects to a how I wish a flat tax to be, it would even save homes, not paying property tax year after year, 10% tax when you buy your home, rich people pay more because they spend more. Poor folks do not lose a house ever for any reason they cannot pay a tax.

No tax on my truck every years, 600$ a year, they say a Toyota Tundra is a commercial vehicle in California because of the weight, I am late so its 800$. That is a huge tax and fine, for what. One the Republican governor renegged on his campaign promise not to increase the tax on registering vehicles but the Terminator like any good actor or politician does, spend, spend, and spend.

Give them a buck and the parasites call us greedy when they foolishly spend our money.

A flat tax as well as one tax, nothing more, its the only way to make them accountable.

 

[M14 Shooter]

The very definition of entitlement.

No.
Benefits that are earned thru service are compensation, not an entitlement.

Your attempt to redefine the term 'entitlement' to mean something it doesn't indicates that you understand just how weal your argument really it.

 

[Douger]

Drug test all food stamp recipients and unless MJ is indicated for medical issues, stop all benefits until a clean result appears.
Mandate sterilization for anyone who gets preggo on food stamps, welfare OR unemployment !
Last.Two felonies is one of two things. Life in a cage or leave The Empire, never to return again, for any reason. Somalia will accept them of they have more than $50. Buy them a plane ticket and give them 50 grand. Far cheaper, overall.
Ummmmmmmm Discuss ?

 

[JamesInFlorida]

Okay we've got them flying coach unless they want to pay out of pocket upgrade to first class. Way to go.

How about we also say that any family members, non essential aides or staff, and any friends and business cronies who want to come along will have to pay their own way? I get more than a little frustrated at news clips of huge entourages accompanying this person or that person knowing that they are spending more money on that single trip than I will pay in taxes in my entire lifetime.

I want them to look at every dime as if THEY had to work for it and do without luxuries and a lot of wants in order to pay it into the people's treasury. I want them to stop looking at it as the government's money to spend any way it wants. It isn't. It is our money and we deserve to have it treated with respect.

I agree-but I think the president's immediate family shouldn't be flying coach. Too dangerous if something were to happen to them (hence why we have secret service for them). Other family? Pay your own way. Everything else in your post I agree with.

The ultimate problem with the government (on both sides)-is their own interests aren't at stake. It's not like running a business-where if your business fails-you're personally affected. If the government is doing crappy economically they just take it from the citizens (raising taxes, raising retirement age, cutting back on benefits we've been forced to pay into-aka social security). They do that, take a little bad press, and at the end of the day really don't give two shits. This goes for both parties.