[vision-master]

Myth: Welfare is to blame for runaway government spending.

Entitlement Programs - Do away with these!

Student grants, school lunches, military retirement plans, unemployment compensation, agricultural price support programs, Summer youth employment, Nutrition Program for Elderly, Pell Grants, Low-income energy assistance, Rural housing loans, Foster Care, Stafford loans, Training for disadvantaged youth and adults, Market Promotion Program, Title XX Social Services block grant, military defense and Corporate Tax Expenditures....................

Add to the list.

[gnm]

Subsidizing ethanol, laundering 10's of billions into halliburtons no bids, bailing out banks (SnL bailout, BS, etc) at the expense of all future taxpayers.

-G

[roccman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gnm', 'S')ubsidizing ethanol, laundering 10's of billions into halliburtons no bids, bailing out banks (SnL bailout, BS, etc) at the expense of all future taxpayers.

-G

[emersonbiggins]

federal mortgage interest deduction ($70 billion annually)

Dissolution of federally sanctioned home loan/grant programs, entities (Fannie Mae, et. al.)

accelerated depreciation for businesses

tax-credits for auto purchase

[gampy]

yeah, this is what happens everywhere, scapegoating the poor, or underclass for budget problems. Let's cut-off the welfare Moms, (no political power) but keep subsidizing the the entities that keep us in power. A favorite tool of conservative politicians.

Joe Six Pack sees the great unwashed getting some benefits and gets ornery. He does not see the corporate welfare, subsidies to big Agribusiness, big pharma, or the banking sector.

Or the billions in foreign aid (usually military aid), or the Congressional pay raises, or the $5000 toilets, or other shit that goes under the radar. Or the earmarks.

GAO reform and responsibility is probably the biggest single thing the US can do to improver their budgetary woes. This entity needs the tools to curb the vast waste that goes on in the public sector.

[Plantagenet]

Social security and medicare, especially as the SS tax take is insufficient to fund the programs and the "trust fund" is a fraud.

[Prince]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', 'S')ocial security and medicare, especially as the SS tax take is insufficient to fund the programs and the "trust fund" is a fraud.

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', 'S')ocial security and medicare, especially as the SS tax take is insufficient to fund the programs and the "trust fund" is a fraud.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vision-master', ' ')I was waiting for you.......

[jasonraymondson]

Without student grants, the only people who could go to school would be the rich and then we truely would have an elitist system.

I swear, most people don't fucking use their brain for anything around here.

[Ludi]

What about private scholarships?

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jasonraymondson', 'W')ithout student grants, the only people who could go to school would be the rich and then we truely would have an elitist system.

I swear, most people don't fucking use their brain for anything around here.

[Kylon]

I think we should eliminate all special entitlement programs for the rich.

This would greatly increase the budget.

Get rid of ear marks. Also improve the budget.

Instead, give out more student loans at low interest, or provide completely free education if the person is going into a field where there is a great need and a high demand (engineering, research, medicine, teaching, trade skills where there is a high demand ect...). This would greatly improve the populace at large.

I think that should be combined with programs to increase rail and use of nuclear power. Mass production of nuclear power plants could decrease the cost, and increase reliability and safety.

Education should also get a high priority. Intense early childhood nutrition programs to increase the competence of the populace.

I think that for each special benefit program, there should always be some benefit for the middle class, and the lower class, that way there will always be political support for it, and the classes won't be divided by the upper class.

[AWPrime]

Well a government should always think like a good investor, looking for long term return.

Things like an good infrastructure and education will help the economy and thus give a good return.

[emersonbiggins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AWPrime', 'W')ell a government should always think like a good investor, looking for long term return.

Things like an good infrastructure and education will help the economy and thus give a good return.

[vision-master]

"I can hear you now"..........