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The government has been living high on the hog with
military spending. Cut it big, and cut it now.
High speed rail is something this country needs and should invest in. Other countries are so far ahead of us on this it's pathetic. We have an aging U.S. transportation infrastructure and we need to join the 21 century. Public investment in infrastructure puts people back to work.
Oh, and I watch PBS
If this country "needed" high speed rail private money would flow into these projects. The fact that it is not happening shows that high speed rail is a money loser--just like AMTRACK. And guess whose money is being lost? Right, the taxpayer's. High speed rail is a boondoggle near and dear to the hearts of liberals because it advances their "green" agenda--another cockamamie idea.
As for PBS if enough people want to watch it some cable company will pick it up. Let it compete on its own merits but without my money.
High speed rail is something this country needs and should invest in. Other countries are so far ahead of us on this it's pathetic. We have an aging U.S. transportation infrastructure and we need to join the 21 century. Public investment in infrastructure puts people back to work.
If it is needed,why isn't private enterprise building it?
I prefer Rand Paul's spending cuts bill. It would cut $5 trillion in 10 years. This proposal will only cut $250 billion per year, half that of Rand Paul's
“Spending Reduction Act” would eliminate such things as the U.S. Agency for International Development and its $1.39 billion annual budget, the $445 million annual subsidy for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the $1.5 billion annual subsidy for Amtrak, $2.5 billion in high speed rail grants, the $150 million subsidy for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and it would cut in half to $7.5 billion the federal travel budget.
But the program eliminations and reductions would account for only $330 billion of the $2.5 trillion in cuts. The bulk of the cuts would come from returning non-defense discretionary spending – which is currently $670 billion out of a $3.8 trillion budget for the 2011 fiscal year – to the 2006 level of $496.7 billion, through 2021.
...
The proposal would cut the federal work force by 15 percent and freeze automatic pay raises for government employees for five years.
Pretty ambitious. But the government has been living high on the hog while more and more people are unemployed. Something has to change.
What I highlighted above, is that the money that gives DC area train riding feds free metro tickets?
If they wanted to really hurt the strongest lobby they'd simplify the tax code and de-regulate so people wouldn't need lawyers and accountants to function with the government. But, too many of the politicians are lawyers, themselves, and that's why they promise tax simplification and cutting red tape but never deliver. The lawyers and accountants want the tax forms and regulatory paperwork to stay complicated and voluminous.
So would the mighty lobbies would like people to believe. The underlying idea would be that corporate interests make for better politicians than lawyers and accountants could. Mussolini worked with that premise when he described and implemented his doctrine on fascism. Representatives from twenty two corporations were the representative of the people in that republic under Mussolini’s control. Is that the kind of governance that we desire? But considering that many do maintain the ideology in spirit, perhaps they do deserve it. Too bad the rest of the country is being dragged in that direction as well. Perhaps it was a bad thing that a majority of the framers of the US Constitution were lawyers? Perhaps it is a bad idea for politicians to be educated about the laws and accounting?
Regulations are meant to protect people from external and internal forces that would gladly trample their rights. This was always meant to be done via a body that represents the people… the government. Mindless deregulation does nothing but give more power to forces that are in direct opposition to public interest. In fact, the corporations you speak for, the lobbyists you promote, the politicians being bribed by these lobbyists and corporations, have and will do everything to destroy every bit of regulation established via legislative body designed for the people. Am I being clear?
As for simplified tax code, I support simplification but not oversimplification. And I know a lot of people disagree. The entity that is meant to govern the country, and ensure prosperity/welfare of its people is not entitled to roll dice but be cautious with every step. That adds to complications. Irresponsibility generally ignores complications.
What I highlighted above, is that the money that gives DC area train riding feds free metro tickets?
When was the last time you made an argument against cutting subsidies to oil companies? Or, every other corporate subsidy in place today? Why is it that I don't see any mention of those in the proposal?
I think you will agree with me that it is easy for politicians to be corrupt and extremely partisan. Would you agree with me that we shouldn't give a free pass to any politician, including those who you agree with (such as those who have come up with these proposals)?
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