9 Trillion Reasons to Distrust Your GovernmentThat’s roughly 30,000 reasons for each man, woman, and child to resent the government that pretends to represent their interests. The Senate voted to raise the debt ceiling to $9 trillion today. Some hailed this as a courageous move to ensure the integrity of US debt instruments (bonds, t-bills, etc.). Some make a valid point that this debt load is not as extreme as previous levels when viewed as a ratio of the overall economic output. The question I think we should all ask; Am I getting my money’s worth? And are we getting the best return on our investment? The Senate passed budget guidelines for a 2007 budget of $2.8 trillion after adding $16.5 billion to original drafts. That’s about $9,300 for each American for next year. Sure, we all get something for that money. How do you put a price on security, roads, parks, schools, fire departments, etc.? But consider what the constitution mandates for the federal government compared to what might be more effectively delivered by state and local governments. The Concord Coalition, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget all seem to draw similar conclusions, even from different political perspectives. The current budget processes are dysfunctional and wasteful. The Republican Party has long advocated that the government which governs least governs best. I propose a corollary; the government which spends least spends wisest. Michael Previous: Sanctimony Tempting for Many Politicians -- Next: $2.8 Trillion Federal Budget. Play the Home Edition! Comment from Vita: Nine trillian is not a comforting figure. I believe a strong military is important to maintain, but I also believe that much military spending is just subsidising wealthy supporters making money on weapons and weapon developement that is just silly, not useful, not needed. Instead of closing bases and cutting personel, cut WMD spending, and R&D for silly things. If local governments were wealthy, putting more burden on them for local matters would make sense, but local governments do not have the funds for such outlays. Posted by Vita Mar 18, 06:15 AM # |
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