Majority favors end of tax cuts for richest

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How much is wasted??? Exactly. Round numbers. say the closest $10billion. And, what is it wasted on??? I presume that anyone that is sure there numerous instances of waste could point some out, without even the use of the interweb.

I'm the wrong person to ask. I feel that most government programs are vastly inferior to what the private sector would provide, and would literally like to see most government (federal and state) agencies eliminated. $10 billion is easy for me to cut.

The average liberal and average conservative could, I would think, easily identify $10 billion in waste. Liberals would point to defense and corporate subsidies. Conservatives would point to entitlements, most grant money, the Department of Education, etc...

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Originally posted by dolemitejb:

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How much is wasted??? Exactly. Round numbers. say the closest $10billion. And, what is it wasted on??? I presume that anyone that is sure there numerous instances of waste could point some out, without even the use of the interweb.

I'm the wrong person to ask. I feel that most government programs are vastly inferior to what the private sector would provide, and would literally like to see most government (federal and state) agencies eliminated. $10 billion is easy for me to cut.

The average liberal and average conservative could, I would think, easily identify $10 billion in waste. Liberals would point to defense and corporate subsidies. Conservatives would point to entitlements, most grant money, the Department of Education, etc...

How much is wasted???? $200billion. $400billion. More? What is the number, to the nearest $10billion increment.

Without making any adjustments to mandatory spending, I'll just start with discretionary. We spent about $1.3 billion this year I think. I'll leave a little because I don't want us to be without any defense, so I'll keep $400 billion there and say the rest was "wasted." That's $900 billion we could cut right there by getting rid of virtually all discretionary spending, and I'd be fine with that.

The defense budget in 2009 was over $400billion. Eliminating $900billion will still leave a budget deficit of about $600-700billion for 2010.

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The defense budget in 2009 was over $400billion.

I'm aware. I'm figuring defense and all things related to defense could keep us safe on 60%ish of what defense currently spends. I really don't think that's a stretch.

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Eliminating $900billion will still leave a budget deficit of about $600-700billion for 2010.

I'm aware of that too. To address mandatory spending, we should move toward stricter means testing for social security, medicare, and medicaid. I don't have the infomation to estimate how much that could save.

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Discretionary spending in FY 2010 was $1.39 trillion, or 38% of total spending. More than half ($844 billion) was security spending, which includes the Department of Defense, overseas contingency programs and Homeland Security.

Non-security spending was $553 billion. The largest departments were: Health and Human Services ($84 billion), Transportation ($76 billion), Education ($46.8 billion), Housing and Urban Development ($43.6 billion) and Agriculture ($25 billion). (Source: OMB, Table S-11)

There is not much slack in Social Security. Nor Medicare/Medicaid which increase 10% minimum per year, so they double every 7 years. That leaves TANF, food stamps, and other safety net programs.

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Originally posted by Renegade Nation:


Here's a good place to start, without all the wishful hoping for a return of Constitutional government, or having to cut benefits...You know when DC is hit with a huge snowstorm and officials tell all non-essential personnel stay home?

How about we tell them to stay home permanently?

I nearly spit up my coke when I read this! Hilarious!

While not completely realistic (there are jobs that have to be done but could be put off a day or two), your thinking is right. Bureaucracy creates its own inefficiencies, and the snowball grows and grows.

Captain

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Originally posted by JuanHunt:
How much is wasted??? Exactly. Round numbers. say the closest $10billion.

If a government bureaucrat and/or politician is involved...I'd say 96.3% wasted...

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Originally posted by Renegade Nation:

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Originally posted by JuanHunt:
How much is wasted??? Exactly. Round numbers. say the closest $10billion.

If a government bureaucrat and/or politician is involved...I'd say 96.3% wasted...

I love a good bipartisan insult, I need to hang out here more often. This is better than the Entertainment section!

I have asked this question before, here and elsewhere, and none of the incessant ranters can provide a number. They "just know" it must be a large amount of the fedgov budget. As an engineer, I cant work without numbers and facts.

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Originally posted by JuanHunt:
I have asked this question before, here and elsewhere, and none of the incessant ranters can provide a number. They "just know" it must be a large amount of the fedgov budget. As an engineer, I cant work without numbers and facts.

I'm an engineer too and I've worked with engineers like you. No common sense. I'll bet you can't name a single government program or department that runs efficiently without waste.

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Originally posted by ferrellj:

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Originally posted by JuanHunt:
I have asked this question before, here and elsewhere, and none of the incessant ranters can provide a number. They "just know" it must be a large amount of the fedgov budget. As an engineer, I cant work without numbers and facts.

I'm an engineer too and I've worked with engineers like you. No common sense. I'll bet you can't name a single government program or department that runs efficiently without waste.

You may have a BS degree, but its not in engineering.

I'm not the one making the claim that there is fedgov waste to cut, you are, so you should be able to readily provide the amounts and the locus of the waste.

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I'm an engineer too and I've worked with engineers like you. No common sense. I'll bet you can't name a single government program or department that runs efficiently without waste.

I'm NOT an engineer but it would take more space than allowed to start naming programs and departments that waste money. BTW, as for the title of this thread, it's wrong. The MAJORITY does NOT favor the end of the tax cuts.

http://www.rasmussenreports.co...ts_for_all_taxpayers

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Originally posted by JuanHunt:
I have asked this question before, here and elsewhere, and none of the incessant ranters can provide a number. They "just know" it must be a large amount of the fedgov budget. As an engineer, I cant work without numbers and facts.

The federal government is in its economic situation because of widespread overspending on nonessential items like most of the people I know who are in economic stress. It is usually not a single large item, it is not watching what you spend and the little amounts add up.

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Originally posted by Jennifer:

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I'm an engineer too and I've worked with engineers like you. No common sense. I'll bet you can't name a single government program or department that runs efficiently without waste.

I'm NOT an engineer but it would take more space than allowed to start naming programs and departments that waste money. BTW, as for the title of this thread, it's wrong. The MAJORITY does NOT favor the end of the tax cuts.

http://www.rasmussenreports.co...ts_for_all_taxpayers

Name two programs and the amount of waste in each, in either dollars or percentages, and, or course, the source of the accounting that reflects the programs have waste. Just two.

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Originally posted by JuanHunt:

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Originally posted by ferrellj:

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Originally posted by JuanHunt:
I have asked this question before, here and elsewhere, and none of the incessant ranters can provide a number. They "just know" it must be a large amount of the fedgov budget. As an engineer, I cant work without numbers and facts.

I'm an engineer too and I've worked with engineers like you. No common sense. I'll bet you can't name a single government program or department that runs efficiently without waste.

You may have a BS degree, but its not in engineering.

I'm not the one making the claim that there is fedgov waste to cut, you are, so you should be able to readily provide the amounts and the locus of the waste.

I think you're the one with the BS degree and it's not bachelor. I'm an electrical engineer.

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Originally posted by JuanHunt:

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Originally posted by Jennifer:

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I'm an engineer too and I've worked with engineers like you. No common sense. I'll bet you can't name a single government program or department that runs efficiently without waste.

I'm NOT an engineer but it would take more space than allowed to start naming programs and departments that waste money. BTW, as for the title of this thread, it's wrong. The MAJORITY does NOT favor the end of the tax cuts.

http://www.rasmussenreports.co...ts_for_all_taxpayers

Name two programs and the amount of waste in each, in either dollars or percentages, and, or course, the source of the accounting that reflects the programs have waste. Just two.

I asked you for just one program that did not have waste and you can't name even one. Neither can I, thay all have waste. Even Washington doesn't know those numbers so there's no way I can come up with them.

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Originally posted by ferrellj:

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Originally posted by JuanHunt:

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Originally posted by Jennifer:

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I'm an engineer too and I've worked with engineers like you. No common sense. I'll bet you can't name a single government program or department that runs efficiently without waste.

I'm NOT an engineer but it would take more space than allowed to start naming programs and departments that waste money. BTW, as for the title of this thread, it's wrong. The MAJORITY does NOT favor the end of the tax cuts.

http://www.rasmussenreports.co...ts_for_all_taxpayers

Name two programs and the amount of waste in each, in either dollars or percentages, and, or course, the source of the accounting that reflects the programs have waste. Just two.

I asked you for just one program that did not have waste and you can't name even one. Neither can I, thay all have waste. Even Washington doesn't know those numbers so there's no way I can come up with them.

Logic. Use some. I am not claiming that there is significant waste, you are. Prove it.

http://www.businesswire.com/ne...-Billion-Waste-Fraud

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I think you're the one with the BS degree and it's not bachelor. I'm an electrical engineer.

Maybe he's the "engineer" that drives that little train around Spring Park.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/200...ecks-dead-taxpayers/



Dec. 1, 2010
Inmates Commit $130 Million in Tax Fraud in 2009
Prisoners Use Basic Tax Forms to Claim Phony Income or Tax Credits, Often With no Supporting documents

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories...tentMain;contentBody

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Originally posted by JuanHunt:
How much is wasted??? Exactly. Round numbers. say the closest $10billion.

quote:

Originally posted by JuanHunt:
I have asked this question before, here and elsewhere, and none of the incessant ranters can provide a number. They "just know" it must be a large amount of the fedgov budget. As an engineer, I cant work without numbers and facts.

How much is used for it's intended purpose??? Exactly Round numbers. Say the closest $10 billion.

None of the incessant STATISTS can provide a number. They "just know" that a huge, lumbering, faceless bureaucracy can do things more efficiently than the private sector. They stubbornly believe that they do this without wasting money, from ONE central location for over 300 million people...

Insanity I say...

When I have my own budget crisis at home I don't go out and demand more money from my employer, nor do I apply for more credit cards and run up more debt. Also my monetary genorousity takes a bit of a curve or dives off a cliff if necessary. I do not continue accelerating full speed ahead with blinders on. I cut my spending period, or get a second job, or both. There have to be zillions of un-necessary programs and jobs and yes I agree it is almost cruel and inhumane to terminate due to funding, that is exactly how it is in "PRIVATE" world. At the very least the government could NOT refill positions after retirement in completely un-necessary programs. It would at least be a start in the RIGHT direction. STOP piling on more programs and start slowly reducing them.

"Switzerland tops the overall ranking in The Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011 released by the World Economic Forum. The United States falls two places to fourth position, overtaken by Sweden (2nd) and Singapore (3rd). The Nordic countries continue to be well positioned in the ranking, with Sweden, Finland (7th) and Denmark (9th) among the top 10, and with Norway at 14th. Sweden overtakes the US and Singapore this year to be placed 2nd overall. The United Kingdom, after falling in the rankings over recent years, moves back up by one place to 12th position."

http://www.weforum.org/en/init...s%20Report/index.htm

The U.S. is ranked 68th in the world in terms of wastefulness of public spending. That is, 67 of the 139 countries in the index are doing a better job of channeling public dollars into productive activities, including Singapore, Rwanda, and Qatar at the top of the list and Australia, New Zealand, and Canada among our large English-speaking peers.

This is just embarrassing.