We've been kicking this idea around a bit for a while. Maybe since it's just an idea, and not a specific problem coming up that day, it falls back in our minds, then pops up again. We'll, since we're going to start talking about specific ideas to our problems in the near future, the time has come to bring up what we consider to be the four most dangerous words in politics - As We Know It...
More correctly, it should be 'The End of _______ As We Know It', but since the '_____' part can vary in words, it ruins the thought. So, what are we talking about? Simple... We have a $1.5 trillion budget deficit. We can't sustain that, or else our government will be in a shambles. Rather than discuss with fear the future of America with overblown programs from all areas, we scare the crap out of everyone by talking about what would happen if we DIDN'T fix these things. And what do they all do? Use the same term - As We Know It.
Seriously, listen to every Liberal Social Pimp politician talk about Medicare, Social Security and other entitlements - our favorite term. What exactly ARE Americans 'entitled' to from it's government. Not to say that we can't do good things if we wanted.. But, when a program is on pace to torpedo our credit ratings, and the ability of it's citizens to be independent from government dependency, then we get pissed off... These are the same people who called lowering the budget increase for Medicare from 7.9% to 7.7% a CUT!! Pure and simple, they are bullshit artists...
On the other side, we can't continue running the Defense budget at $600 billion annually as well. We have the strongest military in the world, and it doesn't take that to maintain it. We could be on track for that by minimizing our exposure in Afghanistan and other countries, but unfortunately, we have Senators and Congressmen who get financed every election cycle by companies who depend on government contracts. In short, everyone has their tit lined up at DC's nipple, and they all do their best to avoid cuts to them by telling you it'll be the end of Social Security as we know it, or Medicare as we know it, or National Defense as we know it... and that the economy will be ruined - by not spending. Does that make any sense to you?
There is one simple word to describe it all - Fear. The AARP is afraid they'll lose their influence, Defense contractors are afraid they'll stop getting overpaid for planes, weapons and $150 hammers. And every Senator and member of Congress is afraid their state will lose an Air Base, or a plant or a voting block, and thus they won't get re-elected. So, they do nothing, and kick the can down further - until it's too late. Why should they care about a problem in 40 years? They'll be dead by then. They live life two years at a time, or less..
To us, it makes an interesting case for term limits. Just like a murderer who repents and finds God right before he/she is executed, Congressman and Senators have an eerie knack for doing the unpopular but right thing as they walk out the door to retirement. Watch how much stuff the lame duck Congress gets done after November's election. A lot of them won't be there soon after, so they don't care about the repercussions of doing what's right. Both sides need to give ground.
I watched former Comptroller of the US David Walker talk about the budget gap, and the guy made so much sense it was scary... But still, you will hear someone say that small adjustments today will end something as we know it.. Next time you hear a politician say 'It will be The End of __________ As We Know It', translate it as this instead: I am scared, and I am full of shit... No duh. Any change will be the end of SOMETHING as we know it. The fact is our budget is broken, and for a lot of things, it NEEDS to be the end of it - and you know it!
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2 comments:
We don't have a problem with high taxes we have a revenue problem. Even Reagan realized that when he upped the taxes.
You think Medicare isn't in bad shape? Just ask anybody over 65 how easy it is to find a doctor who will take them.
I'm not sure where you're making these assumptions. It sounds like you read 'cuts' and 'bullshit', and thought I was saying we are undertaxed and overspending. We do overspend, but I don't complain about the taxes I pay here..
I never said tax cut anywhere in it. Tax reform needs to be done - simplification and fairness. I'll introduce it another time. I would be for a 3-1 or 4-1 cut vs tax hike. Anything to cut the deficit.
Fixing Social Security is easy. Medicare is harder, but it can be done. Yes, I am well aware of doctors not seeing Medicare patients. Honestly, I haven't made a plan to fix Medicare, because it is much more complex, and the potential to do major damage to Seniors is there. I still think hospitals overcharge, and there are still doctors out there who abuse the system with fake bills. It's been going on for decades.
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