Not good....http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3749432

no kidding it affects funding everywhere, but we can not continue to spend like a drunken sailor in a whorehouse, government (both sides mind you!) can not agree on what to cut, then cuts go across the board, so we continue funding everything only everything gets a bit less. Dumb dumb dumb, but if they can't agree, we can't continue to spend as if all is well can we? Spend until we CAN agree???

tom

no kidding it affects funding everywhere, but we can not continue to spend like a drunken sailor in a whorehouse,

It isn't just spending. The US taxes at lower levels than for decades.
The problem is also that corporations and individuals have resisted paying for services that they have used, indeed required ,
The notion that there is a free ride, and constant deficits and debt (since the early 80s) is not going to be solved just by cutting spending.
because some of that spending, such as the spending on science and education, are what have helped keep the American economy competitive.

how does that change what I had said?
you are suggesting we continue to spend spend spend and not cut anything until politicians can finally come together? That makes perfect sense, do nothing until you decide what to do, have no consequences for doing nothing and have no reason to come together? I think we could even have you and Dr Fate come together and come up with what we will continue to fund and what we will cut. I think you would both agree this funding would not be cut, finding cuts from the liberals perspective would be hard to find but some would be agreed upon no doubt!? But not congress!

rickyp wrote:tom

no kidding it affects funding everywhere, but we can not continue to spend like a drunken sailor in a whorehouse,

It isn't just spending. The US taxes at lower levels than for decades.
The problem is also that corporations and individuals have resisted paying for services that they have used, indeed required ,

That's funny.

So, would you expect folks to run, not walk, to pay more in taxes? No one, not even Mr. Buffett, wants to pay more than he/she should. If they do, they can write a check.

Government's answer should be to cut spending and waste. When people realize they're not getting the level of service they want, they will complain, taxes will go up, and so will services.

The government still has plenty of waste. There are tens of billions in documented waste.

President Obama said he would go through the budget line by line. He hasn't. We still have a ton of waste.

The notion that there is a free ride, and constant deficits and debt (since the early 80s) is not going to be solved just by cutting spending.

Well, we could stop giving a "free ride" to people. How about having everyone who makes money pay something in taxes? That would end the "free ride" mentality.

because some of that spending, such as the spending on science and education, are what have helped keep the American economy competitive.

Or, we could stop throwing money into speculative investments. We could stop paying for things with no value. There are many things that can be done without raising taxes. How about revamping the tax code?

freeman3 wrote:Not good....http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3749432

From the article:

In 2013 alone, NIH, the primary federal spigot for projects impacting human health, will be forced to cut $1.7 billion from its budget.

So, if the President didn't go to Africa or was willing to stop using "green energy" as an excuse to funnel money to his supporters or . . .

There are any number of ways to make up that money.

Doctor Fate wrote:

freeman3 wrote:Not good....http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3749432

From the article:

In 2013 alone, NIH, the primary federal spigot for projects impacting human health, will be forced to cut $1.7 billion from its budget.

So, if the President didn't go to Africa or was willing to stop using "green energy" as an excuse to funnel money to his supporters or . . .

There are any number of ways to make up that money.

$1.7 B is a little more than what we give to Egypt on an annual basis.

This has been exactly what I have been saying about the budgets. The "cuts" cannot come from anywhere, and the taxes cannot be raised. Neither side wants to budge an inch. Screw 'em all, then. Take a flat rate across the board until the deficit and debt are both gone. Otherwise find a way to work it out, quit blaming the other side for the problem.

Act like adults politicians!

(Side note: My 5 year old girl and 8 year old boy were arguing over the tv. Both wanted to watch something different. Dora the Explorer vs. Traveling Trio. After a couple minutes of fussing, I came in and took the remote, telling to them to sit together, face to face, holding hands until they agree on a show that was not Dora or Trio. After 1 minute they found a show that I approved, and they agreed.

Perhaps leadership is all they needed... )

Ray Jay wrote:$1.7 B is a little more than what we give to Egypt on an annual basis.

Or Israel, for that matter.

Take a flat rate across the board until the deficit and debt are both gone.

The debt will never be gone. Even eliminating the deficit will take several years (or would, if you were atually doing it), the overall debt runs to trillions of dollars. You'd have to run a surplus for decades and just allow inflation to run its course.

danivon wrote:

Ray Jay wrote:$1.7 B is a little more than what we give to Egypt on an annual basis.

Or Israel, for that matter.

I'm fine with reducing aid to Israel ... they are prosperous on their own and can afford to defend themselves.

Sassenach wrote:

Take a flat rate across the board until the deficit and debt are both gone.

The debt will never be gone. Even eliminating the deficit will take several years (or would, if you were atually doing it), the overall debt runs to trillions of dollars. You'd have to run a surplus for decades and just allow inflation to run its course.

OK, fine. Get it down to 1 trillion...

No Fate, I don't expect Americans to line up to pay more taxes.
Mostly because i think that since about 1980 many Americans have been deluded into believing that taxes can always be cut, deficits don't matter, and all goverment spending is wasteful...
These generalisations without specific evidence is the largest part of blather whenever discussion about deficits begin.
The taxation portion is never discussed.
And many Americans think they pay high taxes, when the reality is that in historical perwppective, since 49, current and recent US federal taxation levels are low.
Here's a great calculator which illustrates how rates have fallen, especially for the wealthy.

http://qz.com/74271/income-tax-rates-si ... ince-1913/

A great calculator except it ignores the substantial 2013 tax rate increases.

Surely an innocuous oversight...