How is this for an example of horsecrap?

Question

I tell my wife that our expenses this year are going to be $100k and our income will be $60k. She gets all woried but I tell her not to worry, we will just cut our income and everything will be fine. At years end we find our expenses were only $60k but our income was only $40k. Will that make her happy? Well that's the same thing the administration did, purposely projecting an astronomical deficit so when in comes in lower they can say they cut the deficit. And the worst part of it all is that is goes unquestioned. Neither party wants to open up that can of horsecrap because they both use it and they want to keep the public ignorant. Am I the only one who see this? Does anyone have any ideas on how to make and keep our government honest and actually work for the good of our country? I will get a lot of stupid answers from the partisan crowd but it is a serious problem and I would like some serious answers, if for nothing else, just to know that people on both sides are aware.

Answer 1

This is not a partisan issue. The political parties (whoever is in) are constantly playing these games for political power purposes. You should get 10 points for asking a very detailed and astute question.

In addition to your information it is important to look at the full picture. In addition to the game playing listed above our government has gone deply into debt with China to make up the shortfall.

Wake up America!! This is not a Republican, Democrat, Liberal or Conservative issue!! It is an issue that is perpetrated by all sides and we are the victims here. Stop believing everything you hear and start researching the people running for office. We have to stop dropping our attention the minute an election is over. We must start performing all of our responsibilities. Our job duties call for more than just voting. Our duties call for us to keep our eyes open, ask questions and hold our government accountable!!

Answer 2

As someone that likewise distrusts both major political parties, it seems to me that votes just determine which group is going to get to do more embezzling and giving handouts to cronies.

Politics needs to somehow stop being a sick sad joke in this country. We need a party that grabs votes from both major parties because it is a moderate party, not the even-more-radical green or libertarian parties. Ross Perot is the only person to manage such a feat in my lifetime. Had he not bailed out of and then re-entered the race in 1992, he might have been the first person in my life to be a non-republican/non-democrat president.

Unfortunately, America wants a pretty boy as their leader and it seems to me that sort will always be the shallow sorts we get in office.

There's a piece of your puzzle missing though - really they end up making the same as their expenditures, but the shortfall (in metaphor terms) is used on prostitutes and mistresses that the husband hasn't been telling her about... OR, in terms of our government... Well, maybe "special interests" ARE technically the same thing...

It's also a problem of economies of scale. Do we REALLY have time to be doing all the research into our representatives' morals? Shouldn't the major parties be doing a better job of their own research to better safegaurd their own reputations? Not having all this free time to do the research, we look at the news or whatever we can get WHEN we have the time. Metaphorically, if the wife is working two full time jobs and doesn't even have the breaktime to do more than rest her heels, how is she supposed to spy on her husband to find out he's been just screwing around?

Tell her husband she thinks he is screwing around??? What? And then - after YEARS of deceit - he's suddenly supposed to come clean? Yeah, right! I'm sorry, but the public trust has been broken. It's beyond speaking any more. Now it's about justice. Keep the investigations coming and keep catching those rats!

Answer 3

I happen to work in a place with lots of government spending. Each departments gives their budget for the year each year. If they haven't spent their allotted monies by year end, they don't get as much the next year, so what does every department do? They spend it all on everything and anything and then ask for more money next year. Guess what happens? They get more money the next year and the same cycle happens over and over. You would think the government would award for spending less when in all actuality they have shot themselves in the foot and must spend billions extra each year due to this stupid and idiotic approach. A revamping is surely needed because it couldn't be more wrong than it is now.

Answer 4

Earth to Alfi:

Federal Receipts (millions)
2001 - 1,991,426
2002 - 1,853,395
2003 - 1,782,532
2004 - 1,880,279
2005 - 2,153,859
2006 - 2,285,491 (estimate)

RECORD government receipts.

The administration increases receipts and increased expenses. Completely opposite of what you said. And you are calling other people ignorant.

Furthermore, the deficit is the most overblown number in government. Every person in this country with a mortgage has a deficit.
If you want to rant about something, rant about the debt and out-of-control spending..

.

Answer 5

The sad part is that we are still doing better than the rest of the world. So imagine the numbers of the other countries. At the end of the day that is what really matters in this type of economics, we are richer than the rest.

Answer 6

One would have to assume that EVERYONE gets thrown out and there is NO lobbying of any kind. Start fresh with designatees.

As a representative, I serve 6 years. (three terms)

As a Senator, I serve 6 years (one term)

No elections, as people are designated. You may choose to decline the position.

It couldn't be any worse than what we have now

Answer 7

You can start making people aware by telling your congreesman/woman how you feel. Trust that they will pass it along OR cc it to the people you wish to see it. An email might be quicker, since things in this regard that you send by mail, unless they're registered, will be slower.

Answer 8

ok, i don't see how cutting the income would resolve anything.
on the government, they are old hands at twisting figures and what not. at the rate the U.S. is borrowing, even Canada will have our asses in a sling...

Answer 9

There is much information that is misused in economic stats. Don't know how to reply to you, but I love your question.