But not, evidently, a teabagger.
Do simple arithmetic and revamp the federal budget to actually bring the deficit down in any type of meaningful way.
Over at this website, there is an interactive budget simulator that allows you to do puts and takes against the federal budget-with the goal of getting the projected proportion of the deficit down to below 60% of GDP by 2018. Right now, under reasonable assumptions, the public debt of the U.S. is projected to grow to 85% of GDP by 2018, 100% by 2022, and 200% in 2038.
As the committee for a Responsible Budget notes:
Drastic action now would threaten the already fragile economic recovery. But failing to convince markets and creditors that the U.S. is serious about reducing its debt in the longer term would cause interest rates to rise dramatically and likely trigger a fiscal crisis.
We need to establish a fiscal goal and commit as a nation to achieving it. The Peterson-Pew Commission recommends a goal of stabilizing the debt at 60% of GDP by 2018 in the report, Red Ink Rising. We must set an ambitious, yet attainable, goal that Americans can support. See more about the reasoning behind this goal on the FAQ page.
This simulation was designed to illustrate the tough budget choices that will have to be made and to promote a public dialogue on how we can set a sustainable fiscal course. How do your choices stack up? Good luck.
This thing is useful-because in a very visual and easy to understand method-it shows how simplistic the assertions made by the Tea Bag nation really are-and why they are only focused on anger: anger at the President, anger at anyone who does not think like them ( or actually thinks at all), anger at anyone who does not subscribe to their orthodoxy. Were they serious, they would understand that -without some means to enhance revenue generation-you simply cannot get there from here. No matter how many lies Glenn Beck or Saint Sarah tell you.
I did two simulations. The first I will refer to as “Teabagger lite”-meaning that it takes what are “concensus” positions from the aggregate of the Teabagger nation. This is tougher than it seems-especially given that they really have not voiced any solid positions, other than they think Obama is the spawn of the devil, and tax cuts are good-no matter how many wars we are condemned to fight for the next decade.
Under “Teabagger lite” I:
Maintain Current Funding Levels and troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan
Renew All the Bush Tax Cuts
Grow Regular Discretionary Spending with Inflation (Revenue neutral)
Cut Foreign Economic Aid in Half
Expanded Veteran’s Income Security Benefits
Increased the size of the Army by 46,000
Canceled Unobligated ARRA Funds
Decreased highway funding by 25%
Froze unemployment benefits
Cut federal funding of K-12 legislation
Cut school lunch programs
Repealed health care
Canceled certain NASA missions
Eliminated outdated federal programs
Cut the corporate tax rate and left other misc tax cuts in place
Improved tax enforcement.
Sold Certain Federal assets.
The net result-the deficit percentage JUMPED from 69% of GDP to 81% of GDP. Most of that was due to three things: 1) Extending the Bush tax cuts which punched a big hole in the budget 2) Repeal of health care-which increased federal government costs overall and 3) left other tax cuts unfunded-just like all of their Lafferesque heros want.
IT JUST WON’T WORK. But then, the Teabaggers know that already. They just don’t care-they will get what they want, and to hell with everyone else.
Now lets do it my way shall we?
Here are my options-my plan focused on revenue growth in the short term combined with realistic cuts that did not screw average Americans.
I:
Reduce Troops in Afghanistan to 30,000 by 2013. ( All troops in Iraq gone by the end of June 2011.)
Allow All the Bush Tax Cuts, Except for AMT Patches, to Expire.
Grow Regular Discretionary Spending with Inflation
Enact Administration’s Proposed Weapon System Cuts.
Increase Foreign Economic Aid by 50% (the better to not fight stupid wars with-especially in Africa).
Increase spending on homeland security
Increase the Army by 46000
Eliminate the New Markets Tax credit
Gradually reduce Social Security benefits for all people after 2050. Enact a central provident fund scheme and REQUIRE ALL EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES to participate-regardless of how big the business is.
Increase Medicare Cost Share
Establish a Public Option in the Health Insurance exchange
Enact Malpractice reform and Tort Reform
Eliminate outdate programs
Freeze all federal salaries for two years
Expand spending on High Speed Rail, Mass Transit and research and development.
Cut earmarks.
Sell certain government assets
Fully fund NASA’s Constellation program and all other manned Spaceflight programs
Impose Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee
Enact Cap and Trade legislation
Increase the gas tax by 10 cents a gallon.
Enact Five Percent VAT With Partial Rebate
Impose Surtax on Income above $1 million
Raise Social Security Payroll Cap to Cover 90% of Earnings
Improve Tax Collection
Limit Mortgage Interest and Other Itemized Deductions for High Earners
Curtail the State and Local Income tax deduction
Elminate subsidies for bio-fuels
Replace Employer Health Care Exclusion with a Flat Credit (In Place of Excise Tax.)
My results? The debt is reduced to 48% of GDP. The dollar is saved-we get needed investment in things that make jobs and we increase revenue for the purpose of balancing the federal budget.
Of course the problem is that very few of these ideas can survive in the current skewed political climate. So to achieve the success I know is possible-I would need to be free to rule with an iron hand. Which is just fine with me-as long its my hand doing the ruling. My dream is to be strong enough and have enough power to tell the Teabaggers one simple statement, ” You will not get your way!”
And my plan does not even include the potential revenue streams that come from legalizing prostitution and marijuana…………………
Never going to happen-but remember, Teabag solutions DON”T WORK. Friends don’t let friends think Teabag.