How would you fix the economy and budget issues?

messing with the retirement age would be political suicide for anyone

If the system is going to stay solvent, it's either that or massive tax increase on everyone.

I am sure we can work with a modest increase. Same tax level as Clinton/Reagan years will do just fine.

I am sure we can work with a modest increase. Same tax level as Clinton/Reagan years will do just fine.Not a fan of an increase, but I agree after the economy gets on more steady footing, it has to be on the table to get our finances straightened out.

Here you go, piece of cake.

http://www.thewarpath.net/debating-with-the-enemy/39836-heres-your-chance-to-fix-budget.html#post758491

I find your budget cuts interesting to say the least. You want to basically destroy Social Security and Health Care and raise it to a level (70) that most people will probably never see.

Why reduce federal employee pay? You do realize that most federal employees are middle class right? That will do wonders for the economy.

Let me get this straight, you don't want to reduce spending on making more ships or weapon programs, but you want to screw the veterans over on their health care plans?...lol REALLY??? Do you own stock in Lockheed Martin? It would appear so.

I assume you didn't mark anything in the "taxes" section because of your "Fair Tax" stance.

You are a true republican to the hilt.


If the system is going to stay solvent, it's either that or massive tax increase on everyone.

...or you know....cut military spending?


Why would I be?

When Medicare and Social Security were put into place, the retirement age was set at 65, but people only lived to their early 70s on average.

People have been paying into SS their whole working life, and now you want to reduce that to a mere couple of years? Wow. Advice, never run for office and use that as your platform. Even the Repubs would laugh you out.

I find your budget cuts interesting to say the least. You want to basically destroy Social Security and Health Care and raise it to a level (70) that most people will probably never see.

Why reduce federal employee pay? You do realize that most federal employees are middle class right? That will do wonders for the economy.

Let me get this straight, you don't want to reduce spending on making more ships or weapon programs, but you want to screw the veterans over on their health care plans?...lol REALLY??? Do you own stock in Lockheed Martin? It would appear so.

I assume you didn't mark anything in the "taxes" section because of your "Fair Tax" stance.

You are a true republican to the hilt.




...or you know....cut military spending?




People have been paying into SS their whole working life, and now you want to reduce that to a mere couple of years? Wow. Advice, never run for office and use that as your platform. Even the Repubs would laugh you out.

You do know that Obam has talked about raising the retirement age?

I would state by making cuts on just about everything. One of the first things I would do is open drilling up so we can start pumping oil. Then I'd pull our troops out of 95% of the places we have them now or tell those nations they have to pay the bill. I would have a bonus plain for people who find ways to reduce spending which would be a one time bonus based off the % of savings. That would get the people on the inside using the funds to cut their spending. I'd 'Means Test' SS and medicare and that would be a start. I'd give incentives to companies who make products here and tax the ones sending all of their jobs over seas (that would be done with caution). I'd force a tough love policy and not allow people to sit around living off the goverment. Thats my plan while I'm on hold so when I read it again it will probably make no sense.

You do know that Obam has talked about raising the retirement age?

Obama has been doing a lot of stupid shit since his election so I'm not surprised.

I find your budget cuts interesting to say the least. You want to basically destroy Social Security and Health Care and raise it to a level (70) that most people will probably never see. Current life expectancy overall in the U.S. is: 77.9.

The gov't shouldn't be in the business of providing people a retirement fund. People should invest their own money, their own way for retirement. We're already too far down that road for many folks, so obviously current and near retirees need to be protected at status quo. However adjustments to SS need to be made for those further out. BTW those adjustments will hurt folks like me who have paid into SS for many years yet face an age increase, benefit reduction, or means testing. Younger folks who haven't paid in as long are less invested, hence affected less.

I'm sure you understand the SS fund has been raided for years by the fed and is essentially a big, fat IOU. If a private corporation had managed its retirement fund the way SS has been managed they would be prosecuted and jailed.

Why reduce federal employee pay? You do realize that most federal employees are middle class right? That will do wonders for the economy.From the survey:
During the Great Recession, most private-sector employees have seen their wages frozen, and some have even watched wages decline,” the chairmen of the deficit panel wrote. “In contrast, federal workers have seen their wages increase.” This option would be a one-time 5 percent cut in federal civilian workers’ pay; the chairmen called for a three-year freeze on pay, which would have a similar effect.

The part about private sector pay being frozen or reduced through forced unpaid leave is true, why shouldn't the federal workers feel some pain as well.

Let me get this straight, you don't want to reduce spending on making more ships or weapon programs, but you want to screw the veterans over on their health care plans?...lol REALLY??? Do you own stock in Lockheed Martin? It would appear so.As usual with you far lefties, you demagogue endlessly

Again, from the survey:
Would change health-care plan for veterans who had not been wounded in battle. Premiums, which have not risen in a decade, would rise. More veterans would receive health insurance from employer. This option would also take some benefits, like housing allowances, into account when tying military raises to civilian pay raises. Currently, increases in those benefits come on top of pay raises.

No one is "screwing" veterans, just having them pay slightly more for their health care premiums.....just like everyone else. This also states; non- wounded veterans.

As far as weapons systems, we are already cutting redundant or unneeded weapons systems and the DoD is seeing funding cuts across most agencies/departments. I live in VB and we just saw a massive reduction in JFCOM. So the whole "cut military spending" argument is baseless unless you can bring specific programs or systems that you believe should be cut.

You do realize the majority of military spending is on personnel (soldier/sailors/airmen pay) and operations & maintenance. Should we cut O&M and not maintain our facilities and equipment???? How about cut soldiers pay????

I'm sure you also realize these weapons systems and gov't contractors that are so evil and terrible provide thousands of well-paid tech jobs across the country.

I assume you didn't mark anything in the "taxes" section because of your "Fair Tax" stance.I only marked a small tax increase because the only way to stop a runaway train is to cut off its fuel supply. If we continue to increase taxes to the fed, the politicans and lobbyists have a larger trough to feed from and they will continue their nonsense.

What we need to do is cut out the soldiers. We need far fewer foot soldiers, far fewer weapons, but more mobile/elite squads and really focus on economic/cyber warfare. Over are the days of an imposing military presence being the biggest factor between countries. We need to take a page from some other countries and improve our cyber and economic prowess.

That said, not sure where a lot of the soldiers would end up. Many are HS educated and don't fit in the elite units/cyber realms. I'm not saying get rid of the common soldier completely, but cut down on that presence.

What we need to do is cut out the soldiers. We need far fewer foot soldiers, far fewer weapons, but more mobile/elite squads and really focus on economic/cyber warfare. Over are the days of an imposing military presence being the biggest factor between countries. We need to take a page from some other countries and improve our cyber and economic prowess.

That said, not sure where a lot of the soldiers would end up. Many are HS educated and don't fit in the elite units/cyber realms. I'm not saying get rid of the common soldier completely, but cut down on that presence.


I think we have them beat on that as well. I have no problem if we pull back most if not all of our troops all over the world and let them defend our boarders as we slowly reduce our forces.