America: Here is your tax dollars.

[Godwynn]

I am a budget hawk. I can just look at that and cry. Interest on the national debt! If we could just get that damn thing lower we could slash taxes by 10%

The military is paid 5x's what Health & Education is. I know states mainly take care of education, no need to tell me that, but imagine if the Fed could kick in some more aid to students.

Medicare and Social Security is 36% of the total budget!

So to you, what needs to be cut? What needs to be increased?

 

[Che Guava]

What exactly does "aid to the needy" cover?

ANd is it states that take care of things like farm subsidies?

 

[LucyDuke]

What's missing? Numbers like those usually don't take everything into account. How much "emergency spending" in Iraq was considered? Really, it's gross, but I don't trust that that's the whole thing.

 

[.Shane.]

I thought interest payments were a much higher % than that. Just curious what your source is for this?

 

[GenMarshall]

I already know that the US spends too much on the Military and wasting it on an unjust war .

 

[CIVPhilzilla]

I think this ought to cover it, 6% of the current budget to provide enough military, courts, and law enforcement to maintain order, and let the free market work on everything else. That would knock the current average income tax of 35% down to about 2.1%.

 

[Godwynn]

I thought interest payments were a much higher % than that. Just curious what your source is for this?

Yahoo! Finance Here

I thought it was around 15%. But I am not an expert.

 

[Perfection]

How was this obtained?

 

[nivi]

The millitary seems seriously out of whack, even israel's is lower.

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

Privatizing Social Security and Medicare would certainly knock off a large chunk.

 

[Fugitive Sisyphus]

I guess I am a budget hawk to.

We definitely need to lower debt. Spend less than you take in, is that so hard people?

There is plenty of money going to education. The problem isn't with the lack of money it is with how vast amounts of it is wasted/ill directed.

The problem with social security is that social security is that it is free and interest-free money for the government to spend with as it will. We are in debt now so what do you think will happen when more social security money is taken out of the government than that is put in?

If you have a war, you are going to have military spending. If you don't want to spend money on military, don't go to war.

 

[Masquerouge]

There is plenty of money going to education.

Really? Then why is everyone around me holding fundraisers for their schools?

 

[skadistic]

Cut aid and medicare and cut taxes by 30% that will stimulate economic growth and more people wont be in need of aid and medicare.

Really? Then why is everyone around me holding fundraisers for their schools?

Teacher unions.

 

[Che Guava]

If you have a war, you are going to have military spending. If you don't want to spend money on military, don't go to war.

Here is the crux of the argument, IMHO. I hope that sejour in Iraq was worth it, my american cousins, because that was a lot of money that could have gone into education, health, or paing down that substantial debt...

 

[Masquerouge]

Teacher unions.

You mean the money that's raised go to teachers?

 

[Chandrasekhar]

I think this ought to cover it, 6% of the current budget to provide enough military, courts, and law enforcement to maintain order, and let the free market work on everything else. That would knock the current average income tax of 35% down to about 2.1%.

2.1% income tax. Sounds good to me.

 

[skadistic]

You mean the money that's raised go to teachers?

No the money raised go for books and stuff the schools can't afford because of the strangle hold teacher unions have on school districts. The unions see to it that worthless teachers stay despite being worthless. Thats a waste. There are other things about it to but thats the biggest problem schools face.

 

[Che Guava]

No the money raised go for books and stuff the schools can't afford because of the strangle hold teacher unions have on school districts. The unions see to it that worthless teachers stay despite being worthless. Thats a waste. There are other things about it to but thats the biggest problem schools face.

Don't teachers in the US get paid....um....not very well (at least in public schools?). Even if the teachers they have aren't very effective, how does that influence the cashflow?

 

[Irish Caesar]

How is "aid to the needy" defined?

Since it apparently isn't SS or Medicare...

 

[Perfection]

I think this ought to cover it, 6% of the current budget to provide enough military, courts, and law enforcement to maintain order, and let the free market work on everything else. That would knock the current average income tax of 35% down to about 2.1%.

So just drop social security without warning?