My Solution To Cut The Budget and To Balance The Budget
By Fatcat44
@Fatcat44 (1141)
United States
February 25, 2013 10:27pm CST
I have heard the Left always asking, “Show us where in the budget to cut.” Where I have done some research and I have come up with a great solution.
I have compiled some data of the government increased spending by department and year off the website http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/transportation which is produced by the CATO Institute. Note that the number amounts are already adjusted to constant 2012 dollars. This means the factor for inflation is already adjusted in the number, so equivalent growth for inflation should result in zero percent growth.
Congress, particularly the Senate, has failed to pass a budget for four years. Without a budget, the departments were allowed to set their own budgets and wish lists. This lack of a budget has allowed government spending to escalate and put the country further in debt.
The Department of Agriculture over spending was 7%, 11%, 15%, and 23% for 2009-2012, respectively
The Department of Commerce over spending was 50%, 75%, 31%, and 50% respectively.
The Department of Defense over spending was 6%, 10%, 9% and 6% respectively.
The Department of Education over spending was -14%, 40%, -7% and 40% respectively.
The Department of Energy over spending was 9%, 43%, 39%, and 70% respectively.
The Department of Human and Health Services over spending was 12%, 20%, 22%, and 17% respectively.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development over spending was 23%, 21%, 12%, and 8% respectively
The Department of Interior over spending was 20%, 40%, 40%, and 10% respectively.
The Department of Labor over spending was 123%, 169%, 100%, and 92% respectively.
The Department of Transportation over spending was 13%, 19%, 14%, and 20% respectively.
The total “over spending” per year during the Obama Administration was 13%, 23%, 18% and 18% respectively.
So where do we need to cut? We need to cut each department back to previous levels in order to balance the budget. They unlawfully increased their budgets and they need to be cut back.
How ever this would only be about 500 Billion of our 1.2 trillion over spending problem. More will be needed, but this is a great start.
3 people like this
7 responses
@Hopefull90 (921)
• United States
26 Feb 13
I always felt these meetings they have for the teachers were a waste of money. They would feed them breakfast, give out gifts, etc. Then I would see people playing on their computers or some would go do other things and return just in time to go down and sign in.
1 person likes this
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
27 Feb 13
The government needs to change their accounting system and go to zero based budgeting. Right now they are using a baseline budget. You get what you had last year (not what you spent) and each line item is funded each year. When you submit your budget your request is what you had last year, then you factor in inflation and and a factor for what you think you will need in increase. For example I run the Farm Extension office in Carson County Nevada and last year my budget was $5 million. This year I get $5 million plus $100,000 ajusted for inflation, then my department is given a factor (an percent that someone has figured that I need) of 6%, so you add another $300,000 to my baseline. My new budget is $5,400,000. If congress decides that they are going to cut the budget by 10% that 10% is only on the part above last years budget. So my new budget is $5,360,000 not what most people would think. When they hear a 10% cut they think of the budget you had last year and cutting that by 10% or $500,000 not $40,000 that is how the government does it.
Zero based budgeting is you start every year at $0 and have to justify every line item. This way you have to justify having a Farm Extension office in Las Vegas where ther are only 2 or 3 farms in the county. That is why we still have programs and departments that have no function but are still funded and nobody knows where the money goes.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
27 Feb 13
This is a great start. You see, it will be the people who have common sense and a love of this country who will turn things around, not some stupid mouthpiece libtard who is out for themselves. We need real changes in our homes before it ever "gets to Washington". We cannot change them into thinking like us, we have to take a stand, they will notice when we start voting them out of office and slandering their "good" name.
@ptrikha_2 (46951)
• India
26 Feb 13
Without fiscal discipline, spending checks, things cannot go as per planned. This is true for each country. In India, also we see government departments spending too much at times. This is not good for governments as well as the public at large.
1 person likes this
@blackrusty (3519)
• Mexico
27 Feb 13
I see what your saying but do you think that they are willing to give up the money what they really want to do is make the poor man poorer and the rich ones richer and they dont care what but us futher in debt just my take
@blackrusty (3519)
• Mexico
27 Feb 13
that is why I had said fire them all and start over and get some people in there to do the job that is in hand and stop playing games many people will be put out by the matter not being resolved
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
26 Feb 13
I believe this administration and the far left are following the Cloward–Piven strategy to collapse America without war by collapsing the system. (Along with Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals".) I don't think those who think this collapse wouldn't be so bad, would be a new birth, don't realize what collapse is, and what in history has always happened after any sort of national collapse.
- Let's cut the profits politicians can make!! And let's face it, things like $400.00 for a hammer really should be looked into sooner or later.. And I think sooner has already gone by. Good post Fatcat! A good start indeed!
