Cutting Government Pork

I want some time to think about this, even though I'm a fiscal conservative. I simply haven't had time to review the document.

An internal Republican Study Committee document which is now available on line and was simultaneously leaked to RAW STORY Thursday outlines an array of huge cuts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, including the elimination of funding for Amtrak and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The document was first reported on by Roll Call. RAW STORY has analyzed the pages and presented some of the more specific cuts.

At this stage, these are cuts proposed by the Committee, which is composed of 86 House Republicans.

It isn't that I mind cutting government spending, but it also has to be done in context. The real culprit is taxation. If the Federal government wasn't getting fed so much through our tax bills, you wouldn't have room for any pork. My fear is that they will compromise - cut some pork, but still raise taxes, which is really a net win for them. We are paying entirely too much in taxes in this country.

The other context in which pork needs to be considered is that it does put money into the private sector. Yes, this bridge is silly, or that museum may be unnecessary - but there is a value paid in wages to build same, as well as residual jobs and so forth which contribute to America's bottom line.

What I take exception to is the government taking the dollars out of circulation in the first place, then giving it back to secure influence and also win elections. Why not just leave it alone and in the private sector to start with? I suspect it would be better spent by us, than by them.

There are many blogs getting involved with this initiative, for more please see here, you can also search here for more.

Comments

[TheAlamo]

It isn't that I mind cutting government spending, but it also has to be done in context. The real culprit is taxation. If the Federal government wasn't getting fed so much through our tax bills, you wouldn't have room for any pork. My fear is that they will compromise - cut some pork, but still raise taxes, which is really a net win for them. We are paying entirely too much in taxes in this country.

Dan, my take on taxes is this. They do not need the money, since they spend thin air anyway. They use taxes as their hammer, and "fear stick" to keep the people in line.
Heck if you want to avoid taxes, become self employed on the side. Greatest tax shelter in America is a home based business.
I don't gripe about the taxes because I don't want them to change it (tax laws--unless they eliminate it or go to a sales tax model).

If you work your business right, you should legally pay no taxes in this country until you make $125,000-$150,000. Now, self-employment tax--that's a different story in that you get to pay for you as the employer, and then pay again as the employee. Isn't that wonderful?

[*flo*]

heard about possible Amtrak & the Arts cut on the news the other day, this Republican Study Committee document (RSC) makes me think what the hell the US gov't is trying to do to its citizens...I signed a petition the other day to keep Drug Programs in the schools, medicare is a biggie, farmings another, guess its time to consider organic gardening, and kick my Representive in the a**, gotta get these people to do their job!

[paul]

Pork cuts
How about
No more life time salaries for presidents, VP, judges, senators, etc. etc.
All government employees receive the US average benefit in health, retirement, etc. - not an above average benefit.
No tax exempt status for mosques or islamic organizations.
A 99 % tax on all monies sent out of country by ctizens and non citizens - particularly moslem, jew, and hispanic.
People whose participation in government is limited to voting only should pay more taxes.
Pundits of all ilks in all media pay a 99% tax based on air time.

[shonane]

The real culprit is taxation. If the Federal government wasn't getting fed so much through our tax bills, you wouldn't have room for any pork. My fear is that they will compromise - cut some pork, but still raise taxes, which is really a net win for them. We are paying entirely too much in taxes in this country.
============================

The current administration and Congress does not seem to care how much revenue is coming in - it doesn't influence their spending, thus one cannot say "you wouldn't have any room for any pork." They spend whatever they want to and put it on the National debt charge card.

The biggest culprit in our out of control roaring deficit is military build up/ spending - topped off by the Iraq war which has the potential, on top of everything else, to bust the bank.

The last few years of the Clinton administration we were finally paying off the principal of the national debt with a vision in sight of paying it down within 10 - 15 years, at least that is what the official projections displayed. How are we to ever get out of this financial mess that has progressively become worse over the last 5 yrs?

When the Graham-Rudman Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 was passed, Congress was committed to balancing the federal budget. Both revenue and cuts are required to achieve this goal. Then administrations changed and sight was lost of this goal. But by 1998, we were back to paying off the principal on the debt, and the revenue in excess of the annual appropriations was being used to accomplish this. Then Bush came in year 2000 and called this a surplus, gave it back to citizens, thus it was not available to pay down on the principal of the national debt, and concurrently supported massive increases in federal expenditures without companion revenue increases to support the increased spending.

I think citizens need more say in how their federal $s are being spent. I would vote for domestic security, education, universal health care, disaster response, maintaining social security for our elders who have worked all their lives and contributed to our country,and infrastructure needs - perhaps some other things on domestic front. I would vote against continued unnecessary (I and some others consider it unnecessary) military buildup and military intervention, as well as unnecessary incaration of our citizens at a huge cost to society when less expensive and more effective strategies could be used (the prison industry is enormous). These latter things are busting the budget.

If not for taxes, how are we going to pay off this exorbitant national debt? I am a fiscal conservative and am extremely frustrated with the lack of fiscal responsibility displayed, an absence of needed responsible management of our national treasury. I think it is being squandered, looted in fact.