America's 14 Trillion Dollar Problem

[Cocobolo]

I agree, as I stated earlier, you cut out NASA...even saving that .8% is still money saved...a penny saved is a penny earned. And while I believe it has been necessary to have the government control our space program thus far...it's time to let private corporations take over and expand what we have already learned...competition will drive the market and promote growth. Privatization as a whole is not a bad thing...education is another area which could be heavily privatized. Again, competition will also actually create higher industry standards and a better quality country as a whole.

[HumanSanity]

51 Million $ until Default. What was the Senate thinking to suspend the vote until tomorrow. I would have been the annoying jerk in the Senate who ruined the required unanimous vote to suspend a vote.

[Takaram]

Agreed. We're cutting it a little close to the wire. I'd rather we didn't lose our AAA credit rating, seeing as getting it back would basically be impossible.

[rogernomics]

Well the US hasn't lost it yet, but it will eventually.

[Geilinor]

Government programs need to be reformed from the ground up. I don't propose ditching programs like Medicare/Medicaid or Social Security, but we really should rethink things.

[Escanaba]

"Government Programs" seems to include the military, after reading the DoD comments about future reductions in manpower and some weapons systems. The military can probably stand a haircut if it is done intelligently but the US military alone cannot contribute all of the savings needed.

[whs]

I think that the American two-party system sucks and that is why we are in this position in the first place. I see NO reason for Democrats and Republicans to do everything the can to make each other look bad, but when emergencies like this occur, there is no compromise.

[Calanria]

Jan 28, 2012 20:09:23 GMT -5 Geilinor said:

Government programs need to be reformed from the ground up. I don't propose ditching programs like Medicare/Medicaid or Social Security, but we really should rethink things.

This. Entitlements are the bulk of the government's spending; these are the things that ought to be reformed.. A safety net isn't safe if it's fraying and holding together off of bandages and bubble-gum. The programs ought to be more focused around the individual rather than a pool of cash that may or may not keep the government system afloat.

That doesn't mean leaving those who can't afford to keep up the individual system off on the wayside. Just that the welfare funds ought to be redirected to those that deserve it, i.e. those who aren't just living off the system because they can.