Economy and the USA

[fiddle-fart]

I know they have sent over $5 billion dollars over seas to countries to help their own people. Don't they or can't they help their own and if not why is it a country. We have too many Americans here that can not get enough of the basics to survive.
But granted there is a lot of people that abuse the system and reform needs to start there. I'm unemployed, and I have to take a drug test once a month ( I don't do drugs any way), but the other people that get monies from public assistance should also be tested if they want the money. I don't remember the days of ccc or wta (?), but America's infra-structure is falling apart and there is able bodied people out there that draw a check and do nothing.
I myself, started going back to college to start a new career, (like what do I want to be when I grow up) and its not easy (been out of school 40+ yrs) but I'm trying to make myself a better life for my family and I.
>>>>Starting to ramble.....Stepping down off my soap box<<<<

[Dick]

Mike, you are right, there uis too much money being sent overseas, (not spent, just SENT, and taken by a very few for their own personal use), instead of the benefit of the people. I am not referring to combat situations that we have "meddled in". Vietnam was the first of a long series of foul-ups, that thgis country has gotten into. And for what reason? We have been the real losers in every case, morally, financially, and in world respect.
Welfare should require that all recipients be fully "occupied, 40 hours a week, be it school, or any other job. There are many jobs available. Look all around you, and see who is working: The vast majority are UNDOCUMENTED, doing the jobe that have to be done, but are "menial type jobs, that the average american won't even consider. These jobs are far below the standard level of work that they want to do.
The CCC, and the WPA, (working piss ants), who held their shovel up-right, to have something to lean on, were gainfully employed, and as such, qualified for puiblic assistance, (now known as welfare). The CCC, ( California Conservation Commission), are today, fully occupied, doing the same thing the did in the 30's, and to this day.

{there is able bodied people out there that draw a check and do nothing}
Today, they are called "Congressmen, and women.

[timsumrall]

exponential growth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-QA2rkpBSY&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=SP6A1FD147A45EF50D

[Dick]

I haven't seen your posts, before, so was not aware of your recent arrival.


Welcome to the forum. There are MANY more here that it appears at this time. You are in very good hands, here!
Dick

[mikediamond]

Foreign aid is a miniscule portion of the U.S. budget. We are not a particularly generous country if you measure foreign aid as a percentage of GDP. The largest percentage of the Federal budget is taken up by military spending and entitlements. An aging population, unfunded tax cuts, two wars paid for by borrowing, and the economic downturn are what have exploded the U.S. debt.

The size of the debt is entirely voluntary and a planned move by some in Congress. The Federal government has been slowly starved of revenue since 1980 by continual tax cuts. Total Federal Revenue as a proprotion of GDP is lower now than in the Eisenhower administration. Corporations, which used to account for over 24% of Federal Revenue are down to 8%. High income individuals pay less in taxes (avg. 16.6%) than middle class individuals as a result of generous tax breaks. Multinational corporations pay very little tax (often none) while mom-and-pop businesses pay far too much since they don't have access to most tax credits and tax shelters.
The

[fiddle-fart]

Mike, This may be true that its a drop in a bucket but its a start. From what I understand, the cost of "finding weapons of mass destruction" just in Iraqi has cost $809,415,907,775 and the war in Afghanistan has cost us $435,896,112,201 and together the countless lives that our service men has given, because of an admitted lie(Chenny was the main force of us going) in a region that we will not win or even come out 1/2 way winning because of religion that is 2 centuries ago in their thinking.
Other examples

$107,000 to study the sex life of the Japanese quail.
$1.2 million to study the breeding habits of the woodchuck.
$150,000 to study the Hatfield-McCoy feud.
$84,000 to find out why people fall in love.
$1 million to study why people don't ride bikes to work.
$19 million to examine gas emissions from cow flatulence.
$144,000 to see if pigeons follow human economic laws.
Funds to study the cause of rudeness on tennis courts and examine smiling patterns in bowling alleys.
$219,000 to teach college students how to watch television.
$2 million to construct an ancient Hawaiian canoe.
$20 million for a demonstration project to build wooden bridges.
$160,000 to study if you can hex an opponent by drawing an X on his chest.
$800,000 for a restroom on Mt. McKinley.
$100,000 to study how to avoid falling spacecraft.
$16,000 to study the operation of the komungo, a Korean stringed instrument.
$1 million to preserve a sewer in Trenton, NJ, as a historic monument.
$6,000 for a document on Worcestershire sauce.
$10,000 to study the effect of naval communications on a bull's potency.
$100,000 to research soybean-based ink.
$1 million for a Seafood Consumer Center.
$57,000 spent by the Executive Branch for gold-embossed playing cards on Air Force Two.
Total: $ 45,980,000 (http://www.areddy.net/mscott/porkabs.html)

This may not seem alot but there is alot of this out there and together it makes a person sick that they waste our monies in such of ways.

My favorite, $1 million to preserve a sewer in Trenton, NJ, as a historic monument.


I guess that is my (our ) monies well spent.
>> off my soap box for now<<

[mikediamond]

While some of the rather whimsical research studies you cite may seem to be a waste of money, you would really have to take a closer look to see if there is actual value in them. I suspect not all are as useless as you think.

Clearly there is waste in government expenditures. Many farm subsidies held over from the 1930s could be phased out. Subsidies for oil companies are no longer necessary. Medicare could be made much more efficient. Many treatments and screening procedures are useless and many expensive drugs have no advantage over older, cheaper drugs. For example, expensive beta blockers are no more effective than diuretics in lowering blood pressure and preventing strokes.

Increasing government efficiency is a laudable goal. But it's not the sole answer to our growing debt and certainly will not improve the economy. The debt problem is eminently solvable through a mixture of efficiency improvements and modest revenue increases. Improving the economy is much more complex.

[eagames]

Tax the rich like in the good old days
Cut most foreign aid
Change tax laws to be flatter, no credits so no non payers
Make fed employees use social security and normal healthcare
Huge tax on short term stock gains
Cut all of the "drops in the bucket"

And a mandatory balanced budget plus 5 percent yearly debt reduction with all fed pay as the bottom line of that budget.

Maybe even something to eliminate the "party" system. The gov needs to be a team that serves the voters not some political parties. Let em all be independent and run based on what they do for the people not their party.

------------------------------------------------

This story made me smile. I think if voters got to decide on many things they would go like this one. The voters took over and solved it.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904070604576514413282874424.html

[Dick]

I have always maintained that a flat rate tax, on eceryone, regardless, and that includes SS retirees, and any one who makes money., It would only be a short time, before the Gov't would have to look for some way to spend it! Remove all exemptions, and deductions, and the battle is half won.
I don't believe it would have to be over 3-5%.
While we are dreaming, it should also be a matter of fact, that welfare will be given to those who are actively occupied in some form of work, or education, 40 hours a week, and a MAX of four kids! FOUR, not hoards!
Any recipient caught in a casino will be dropped, immediately, and have to repay all funds, disbursed to the date!

[fiddle-fart]

Seems like together here we can solve our countries problems, but unfortanately, politicians only listens to the ones with the most money.
I can almost assure you that recently(last 15 yrs.) every bill passed benefitted a business in some way, shape or form.
The pharmaceutical companies are the main culprits, for instance, how can a company put a patent on a human gene, DNA etc... now I can see making a drug or treatment for a damage gene, but to make it impossible for another company to try and help mankind because they own a gene.
But the brilliant thinking of our elected officials( cause by money) allowed companies to do such.
>> off soap box<<