Billions of Bloat

Originally posted by twhitehead
So your plan is to do nothing directly about the waste, but to try and starve them of taxes in the hope that they will finally shape up?

Isn't that the sort of strategy that has led to the massive debt?

As a private citizen, what can I do "directly" about the waste?

I and many others have spent the last year trying to send people there who will tackle it. That resulted in an election where scads of conservatives were swept into office with a mandate to reduce govt spending and waste. Coburn is part of that effort.

Originally posted by Sleepyguy
As a private citizen, what can I do "directly" about the waste?

I and many others have spent the last year trying to send people there who will tackle it. That resulted in an election where scads of conservatives were swept into office with a mandate to reduce govt spending and waste. Coburn is part of that effort.

What is the plan, exactly? How is Coburn going to reduce waste?

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
What is the plan, exactly? How is Coburn going to reduce waste?

I'm not a legislator. I can't give you details I don't know. How about if he puts forward a bill that folds the duties of one of 80 bureaucracies that do the same thing into the other 79, thereby saving the cost of one bureaucratic structure?

Originally posted by Sleepyguy
I'm not a legislator. I can't give you details I don't know. How about if he puts forward a bill that folds the duties of one of 80 bureaucracies that do the same thing into the other 79, thereby saving the cost of one bureaucratic structure?

Sounds simple enough. Sadly the real world is not always that simple. Mergers between government institutions can also simply introduce a new bureaucratic upper layer and added extra costs if you do not carefully consider what and who exactly in these institutions you can abolish.

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
Sounds simple enough. Sadly the real world is not always that simple. Mergers between government institutions can also simply introduce a new bureaucratic upper layer and added extra costs if you do not carefully consider what and who exactly in these institutions you can abolish.

Yes, fine. Isn't it reasonable to expect our legislators to make those careful considerations and implement changes before they ask us for more money? Obama said he was going to go through the federal budget "with a scalpel", but we are still waiting for that to happen while he talks about further "investments" (spending) and "shared sacrifice" (tax hikes).

Originally posted by FMF
Why would Obama want to "end capitalism"?

Cause everyone on the left knows that capitalism is the source of all our ills. It is only the saving grace of government that we can have our collective salvation and social justice.

Originally posted by whodey
Cause everyone on the left knows that capitalism is the source of all our ills.

I consider myself centre left and I do not believe that "capitalism is the source of all our ills". So what you are claiming is not true.

Indeed, there is hardly anyone who you might say is on "the left" here [on this Forum] who wants to "end capitalism" or who thinks that "capitalism is the source of all our ills". Your assertion sounds a bit silly, frankly.

Originally posted by whodey
Cause everyone on the left knows that capitalism is the source of all our ills. It is only the saving grace of government that we can have our collective salvation and social justice.

Surely this insignificant part of "The Left" is irrelevant to US politics?

Originally posted by Sleepyguy
Yes, fine. Isn't it reasonable to expect our legislators to make those careful considerations and implement changes before they ask us for more money? Obama said he was going to go through the federal budget "with a scalpel", but we are still waiting for that to happen while he talks about further "investments" (spending) and "shared sacrifice" (tax hikes).

I really don't see what one has to do with the other. Government waste should always be tackled, and I'm sure most legislators on either party would like to cut waste so they can spend the money on things they think can get them votes (say infrastructure investment or tax cuts). But the problem is a lot more complex than just "get rid of the waste", and I'm sure that's why the GAO refused to attach a figure to it.

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
I really don't see what one has to do with the other. Government waste should always be tackled, and I'm sure most legislators on either party would like to cut waste so they can spend the money on things they think can get them votes (say infrastructure investment or tax cuts). But the problem is a lot more complex than just "get rid of the waste", and I'm sure that's why the GAO refused to attach a figure to it.

No one can 'spend' money on tax cuts,

I cured no1 of this fallacy now to get to work on you.

Originally posted by Wajoma
No one can 'spend' money on tax cuts,

I cured no1 of this fallacy now to get to work on you.

semantics, zzz

Originally posted by FMF
I consider myself centre left and I do not believe that "capitalism is the source of all our ills". So what you are claiming is not true.

Indeed, there is hardly anyone who you might say is on "the left" here [on this Forum] who wants to "end capitalism" or who thinks that "capitalism is the source of all our ills". Your assertion sounds a bit silly, frankly.

You obviously have "left" your first love. Won't you watch this, maybe it will help.

YouTube

There is nothing quite like images of Karl Marx set to the misic of Kenny G. :'(

Originally posted by whodey
You obviously have "left" your first love. Won't you watch this, maybe it will help.

No thanks. A YouTube video is hardly going to alter or justify the silliness of your previous comments

Originally posted by FMF
No thanks. A YouTube video is hardly going to alter or justify the silliness of your previous comments

Let me guess, you are in favor of capitalism, or what's left of it, after the US government is in full control of every aspect of the US economy including health care, retirement, education, etc, etc, etc.

Edit: Of course, those making "X" number of dollars need to be targeted to pay down ballooning deficits.

How close am I?

Originally posted by whodey
Let me guess, you are in favor of capitalism, or what's left of it, after the US government is in full control of every aspect of the US economy including health care, retirement, education, etc, etc, etc.

Are you trying to satirize something? How many people on this Forum advocate "government [being] in full control of every aspect of the [...] economy"? Name a few. You're just making a fool of yourself.