National Debt = $15,000,000,000,000.00

[deacon blues]

Sometime last night our nat'l debt reached $15 trillion. Estimates are at the rate we are going we will reach $16 trillion by next year's elections. The debt was $10 trillion when Obama took office. The increase in debt under his watch is an all time record.

The so-called "Super Committee" is only proposing $1.3 trillion in deficit reduction spread out over 10 years. The president's own bipartisan debt commission (whose proposals he completely ignored) determioned that $4 trillion needed to be reduced immediately. Should the Super Committee fail to cut at least $3 trillion, most experts believe we will be downgraded again by the credit rating agencies.

Folks, we are in serious trouble and our leaders blindly proceed with no integrity or will to do the right thing for our nation and for our future. Look at Europe. They waited until the brink of disaster before takig action. Some think it may be too late.

I wonder if Americans will rise up between now and next year's elections and actually force our leaders to cut spending drastically NOW?

[MawMaw]

I wonder if there is any real solution to paying this astronomical debt?

[Nitehawk013]

The bill is that high, yet when anyone proposes that we STOP SPENDING they are mocked.

[deacon blues]

Stop spending! Alter Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid! Repeal Obamacare! End Foreign Aid to countries who don't need it or aren't cooperating with us! Pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan! Drill, Baby, Drill - end dependency on foreign oil! Tap into our Natural Gas resources! Lower taxes for everyone, consumers willnsoend more, businesses will expand and hire, revenues will increase with greayter economic activity!

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Lacey

I wonder if there is any real solution to paying this astronomical debt?

Solution to what? Not going backrupt? Yes. The economy? No but then nobody really said we are in a mess because of the debt

I found it interesting a number of millionaires came forward to Petition congress to increase the tax rate contrary to Republican claims it will hurt us...these guys deny it will

Many of the rich are not business owners anyways, they are executives, actors, musicians, atheletes etc etc...

Im fine with that at least for a while but I think we need to make some incentives to businesses to invest here and hire more.

We need to spend less too or course.

Personally I think the actions of Europe and here in the US of our governments is by design to screw us up

[Jay]

I agree that we reduce spending sharply, renovate or remove S.S., Medicare, and Medicade, cut redundant bureaucratic agencies, decommission the Deps. of Education, HUD, and others. There are more than a few other places to cut, but you get the idea.

[Praxeas]

Remove SS and Medicare and thousands, perhaps millions will die in weeks

[Jay]

That is why we must start phasing them out right now. They should be entirely eliminated within the next 25 years. They are not sustainable and are most of the reason that our nation is going bankrupt. It is time that we start taking responsibility for ourselves and our actions. If our decisions are killing us, and we can not afford to get treated, it would make us have to take better care of ourselves. I am convinced that part of the reason we do not take care of ourselves is that for 80+ years we have had the government there to catch us. Sorry, healthcare is an individual responibility not a right.

[Nitehawk013]

The Ryan plan proposed changes to SS and Medicare while allowing complete exemptions for anyone who was 50 or 55 right now. Those people, and those who were already on SS, would not be effected at all. It would attempt to fix the problem for those down the road.

Altering or doing away with SS while exempting those already using it wouldn't hurt anyone.

[Jermyn Davidson]

I am against any plan that would increase the tax rate without cutting spending.

I am against any plan that cuts spending in a manner that is indiscriminate or that would hurt the most needy in our country.


I am for drilling in new places, offshore enough that it will not hurt tourism and the natural beauty of the immediate environment (I am thinking Florida and Virginia). Still, the drilling must be performed under stict guidelines that protect the health of the workers and the environment. Common sense, right?


The profits of these companies should be exempt from state taxes-- just because they are drilling off the shoreline of Virginia doesn't mean they should be taxed by Virginia.


I am against any more drilling in Alaska. There is enough evidence to establish that whatever is happening to the environment, it is already affecting that fragile ecosystem. To me, it's a no-brainer to not increase drilling in Alaska, especially since there are so many other places within our borders where we can drill without such an immediate threat to the environment.


The elimination of whole departments within the Federal and State government is not really the answer. Better management of the entire government, with careful scrutiny given to our contractors will save billions. Remember OIF spending estimates and the lack of accountability? I am sure that kind of lack of accountability is rampant throughout the Federal and State governments around the country.


There isn't a reason to be cavalier about simply "eliminating" people's jobs, not when we could just become more efficient in our record keeping.


I think a Federal, State, and local government promotion and hiring freeze for all entities within government (except for the critical areas) makes much more sense and will go a LONG way to correcting the situation.


The USPS should be privatized immediately-- with Federal guidelines initially established to insure that the consumers are not bilked exorbitantly just because they can be. Without government oversight, I can see Fed Ex charging me $5.00 per Christmas card now! There will ALWAYS be a reason to charge $5.00 per Christmas card, from the point of view of the business profiting from such nonsense.


State governments should be given a deadline of two years from date to show a MARKED INCREASE in jobs in their states, preferrably in the areas where their highest population and highest unemployment rates coincide. They should not be given two years to come up with a plan-- two years to show net growth or risk losing key Federal funding (education, housing, etc).

JOB GROWTH IS NOT THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT! States have a bigger role in their own unemployment numbers than the Feds do-- but the Feds are the easier target.


One key area where states can save money is in their law enforcement and prison systems. Remove any room for flexibility on simple traffic, construction code, etc violation fines. Repeal any laws that make jail time mandatory for marijuana. Shorten actual incarceration time for ALL non-violent law breakers. Reduce amenities given to prisoners and place more emphasis on their mental development and physical development (less tv, more books, tutors and gym equipment). Use prisoners to do more of the highway and road maintenance and other hard labor-related jobs that the State and local governments spend tax-payer dollars on. Decrease the amount of time of convicted felons on death row. Given today's technology, it is rare that it's necessary to keep someone on death row for 10 years or more.

States could also freeze promotions for their employees, coupled with hiring only for what is absolutely necessary (I am not advocating a maschete for the education systems because of the possible immediate, localized side effects.)

We want to emphasize States' rights, but not States' responsibilities.

Louisiana could have done more for her residents, but the Feds took the brunt of the blame. The same is happening today all around the country. I am CONVINCED that the much of what can be done to fix the NATIONAL economy can and should be addressed at the State level.


The rate of Federal government spending MUST be reigned in. There is much to discuss within the topic of Federal government spending that has not been discussed, but needs to be. DOD, Dept of State, Dept of Interior-- there is money to be saved without making a bad situation worst by simply eliminating jobs.