The Federal Government at work‏

[..]

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/debt-jumped-54-billion-8-days-preceding

The federal debt increased $54.1 billion in the eight days preceding the deal made by President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) and House Speaker John Boehner (R.-Ohio) to cut $38.5 billion in federal spending for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, which runs through September

[torch1972]

federal government work?that's an oxymoron no?

[RoadKill]

Yeah....Were not screwed,Really ! It will all be just FINE !  Now who wants to buy an 800 HP stock Harley?   

[Daniel Meyer]

Well, there are very impotent things to spend that money on afterall...  

[musclehead]

federal government work?that's an oxymoron no?

nah, they are working OVERTIME to spend your money 

[musclehead]

I feel pretty let down, but I shouldn't pin my hopes to people. the house repubs will tell you they did the cutting they could and will remind you that they don't control the senate and presidency. however what they do control is the purse strings of the nation. all spending and appropriations originate from the house, they have the dems by the short hairs if they'd just stick to thier guns and held out for more.

the last conituing resolution they passed saved 6 bil, the day they passed it the government deficit spent over 7 billion. I'm reminded of an old saying we had years ago "we're losing a dollar on every unit but we'll make it up on volume"

[valkmc]

I feel pretty let down, but I shouldn't pin my hopes to people. the house repubs will tell you they did the cutting they could and will remind you that they don't control the senate and presidency. however what they do control is the purse strings of the nation. all spending and appropriations originate from the house, they have the dems by the short hairs if they'd just stick to thier guns and held out for more.

the last conituing resolution they passed saved 6 bil, the day they passed it the government deficit spent over 7 billion. I'm reminded of an old saying we had years ago "we're losing a dollar on every unit but we'll make it up on volume"

None of them have any balls, you can not balance the budget without looking at defense, S.S, and medicare/cade. We spent more than 38.5 billion they cut in the last three months in the middle east.

[MNBill]

I have to throw in on this one, people paid for social security and Medicare. That is not what is breaking us, as part of my job I stand in court at the arraignment hearings. In MN if you get public assistance you qualify for a Public Defender. Almost everyone through my courtroom gets some kind of assistance, single working capable males on food stamps, getting federal housing assistance. Federal Education programs have filled our local community college, giving them tuition and cash to live on, these are repeated felons who stand in court for assault and drug cases and argue they must get out as because they have a test tomorrow. (Ok libs they need to get a chance to be good people BUT I am talking about career criminals here) These people on assistance made the paper last night on their drug crimes, they live on our dime but can come up with 75000 in bail (that is 7500 min in CASH) to post bail. I also investigated Welfare fraud in my career, the scams are huge and take tons of money from us. NO, it is not the people that paid in to SS that are the problem it is everyone that is on a free ride. SORRY RANT! I will stop.

[bigvalkriefan]

NO, it is not the people that paid in to SS that are the problem it is everyone that is on a free ride. SORRY RANT! I will stop.

I have to agree with you. We have to stop giving all this free "stuff" to illegals also. If we take away their free health care, their food stamps, make it impossible to get a job, the illegal immigrant problem will go away without having to invest millions trying to deport them.
Now read that carefully you who want to call me racist, I said illegals. And if your argument is "then who will do the jobs they do" think it through. If we could get everyone who is bleeding the system off of it, no free ride at all, then they would be forced to work or starve. I'm not talking about those who actually need assistance, the widows, orphans or disabled. To many people expect the government to take care of them, sorry that's no what made America what it is. People made their own way. We were a proud people once, our ancestors would be ashamed of what we have become, a nation of slackers who think that they don't have to work hard to achieve success. They think they deserve it, that they are entitled to it. Ok I'm done.

[MNBill]

Be careful with the word "disabled". Herion addicts, alcoholics and bipolar fit that definition. My friend works at the social security office and the current buzword at the prisons is bipolar, they come straight from prison to the social security office and go on disablity. Bipolar is alot of our population, may do not even know they have it and once diagnosed, with meds they can work and function fine. Everyone thinks of a peroson missing abody part as disabled. I remember someone on this board with a truly disabled son getting a hassle from SSI and these other folks just get what they can for nothing. I do have to say I love it when the attorneys argue (often too) that they should not hold theor client as they will lose their disablity while they are in jail. Our system sucks. 

[RUDE DOG - Steelers]

So, we avoided the dreaded shutdown by "compromising", cutting $38B out of a $3.6T budget. For those of you who are overwhelmed by such numbers, please allow me to put it in more relatable terms ... this is like having a $3,600 monthly budget for your household, cutting monthly expenses by $38, and thinking you've done something extra special.  Great job by both sides.  They both suck.

[Trynt]

So, we avoided the dreaded shutdown by "compromising", cutting $38B out of a $3.6T budget. For those of you who are overwhelmed by such numbers, please allow me to put it in more relatable terms ... this is like having a $3,600 monthly budget for your household, cutting monthly expenses by $38, and thinking you've done something extra special.  Great job by both sides.  They both suck.

Truly an example of "Draconian" cuts.

[RoadKill]

So, we avoided the dreaded shutdown by "compromising", cutting $38B out of a $3.6T budget. For those of you who are overwhelmed by such numbers, please allow me to put it in more relatable terms ... this is like having a $3,600 monthly budget for your household, cutting monthly expenses by $38, and thinking you've done something extra special.  Great job by both sides.  They both suck.

[RoadKill]

More like 3600$ budget,saving 38.00 $  by cutting out the manicure with your weekly haircut and spending 75$ more a month for unlimited texting plan for your 8 yr old. 

[Bobbo]

I have to agree with you. We have to stop giving all this free "stuff" to illegals also. If we take away their free health care, their food stamps, make it impossible to get a job, the illegal immigrant problem will go away without having to invest millions trying to deport them.

The 2010 census estimated that 50.1 million Americans are receiving welfare assistance.  Those are legal Americans.  Fox news recently said that welfare to illegal immigrants costs us $600 million a year.  If you estimate that with housing, food stamps, health care, and checks an illegal gets about $30,000 per year, that would mean about 20,000 illegals are getting welfare.  That is about 0.04%.

If you think the minuscule cuts in the budget were small, you have far surpassed them in insignificant budget cuts!

[Daniel Meyer]

If you think the minuscule cuts in the budget were small, you have far surpassed them in insignificant budget cuts!

But that's how "they" are justifying not cutting lots of things.

Lots of little cuts turn into big ones.

I can't help but put a personal swing on the numbers when they talk about them.

That "minuscule" 600 million is more than me and my extended family have paid since federal income taxes were enacted and more still then we will pay into the system in *generations* to come...and they just pissed it away.

Makes it harder to write that big honkin check every quarter.

[Chrisj CMA]

I have to agree with you. We have to stop giving all this free "stuff" to illegals also. If we take away their free health care, their food stamps, make it impossible to get a job, the illegal immigrant problem will go away without having to invest millions trying to deport them.

The 2010 census estimated that 50.1 million Americans are receiving welfare assistance.  Those are legal Americans.  Fox news recently said that welfare to illegal immigrants costs us $600 million a year.  If you estimate that with housing, food stamps, health care, and checks an illegal gets about $30,000 per year, that would mean about 20,000 illegals are getting welfare.  That is about 0.04%.

If you think the minuscule cuts in the budget were small, you have far surpassed them in insignificant budget cuts!

You can "make" statistics say whatever you want.  Its flat wrong that someone here illegally can pull down 30K in Government "help", I live on much less.  millions of Illegals and you believe only .04% of them are getting assistance.........I find that hard to believe.

California is broke, and its no secret the overwhelming burden of illegal immigration is at the heart of it......Yes, ok crooked deals, overpayment and cush retirements (union deals) didnt help them either.....its not a simple problem, but the illegal problem is undeniable. 

+1 here, Inforce all the laws we already have, stop the welfare gravy train and make it a requirement that one parent be a citizen for the newborn to get citizenship and much of the problem corrects itself.  It is a problem....a BIG one

[Bobbo]

You can "make" statistics say whatever you want.  Its flat wrong that someone here illegally can pull down 30K in Government "help", I live on much less.  millions of Illegals and you believe only .04% of them are getting assistance.........I find that hard to believe.

California is broke, and its no secret the overwhelming burden of illegal immigration is at the heart of it......Yes, ok crooked deals, overpayment and cush retirements (union deals) didnt help them either.....its not a simple problem, but the illegal problem is undeniable. 

+1 here, Inforce all the laws we already have, stop the welfare gravy train and make it a requirement that one parent be a citizen for the newborn to get citizenship and much of the problem corrects itself.  It is a problem....a BIG one

You're misunderstanding my post.  The 0.04% represents the illegal alien portion of ALL welfare recipients.  That means 99.96% of welfare recipients are American citizens.

I would love to see welfare reform take place, and make sure it is only given to bona fide cases.  That would take a lot of work our politicians are afraid of doing.

To eliminate the "anchor baby" loophole, you would need to repeal or amend the 14th Amendment, which may be even more difficult than cleaning up welfare.

[Bobbo]

I can't help but put a personal swing on the numbers when they talk about them.

That "minuscule" 600 million is more than me and my extended family have paid since federal income taxes were enacted and more still then we will pay into the system in *generations* to come...and they just pissed it away.

Makes it harder to write that big honkin check every quarter.

That is the tactic that Democrats and unions use to rouse up their faithful; Comparing financial apples and oranges.  This is similar to getting upset that the fatcat CEO is making $10 million, while the laborers are making $10 an hour.  It is only an exercise in futility and frustration.

[Daniel Meyer]

It is only an exercise in futility and frustration.

Hmmm...I suppose it is...but the point is that there is no trillion dollar line item they can cut...they have to work on hundreds or thousands of small line items to cut anything.

Pointing at something and saying "it's too small to worry" is not going to get it done.

[Chrisj CMA]

It is only an exercise in futility and frustration.

Hmmm...I suppose it is...but the point is that there is no trillion dollar line item they can cut...they have to work on hundreds or thousands of small line items to cut anything.

Pointing at something and saying "it's too small to worry" is not going to get it done.

The problem is "they" dont really want to get it done......"they all need to go"

[HotRod]

I have to throw in on this one, people paid for social security and Medicare. That is not what is breaking us, as part of my job I stand in court at the arraignment hearings. In MN if you get public assistance you qualify for a Public Defender. Almost everyone through my courtroom gets some kind of assistance, single working capable males on food stamps, getting federal housing assistance. Federal Education programs have filled our local community college, giving them tuition and cash to live on, these are repeated felons who stand in court for assault and drug cases and argue they must get out as because they have a test tomorrow. (Ok libs they need to get a chance to be good people BUT I am talking about career criminals here) These people on assistance made the paper last night on their drug crimes, they live on our dime but can come up with 75000 in bail (that is 7500 min in CASH) to post bail. I also investigated Welfare fraud in my career, the scams are huge and take tons of money from us. NO, it is not the people that paid in to SS that are the problem it is everyone that is on a free ride. SORRY RANT! I will stop.

I totally agree,and I just found out I owe the government $4,500 for last year! I guess some more criminals and low life's need my money more than me? 

[musclehead]

I have to throw in on this one, people paid for social security and Medicare. That is not what is breaking us, as part of my job I stand in court at the arraignment hearings. In MN if you get public assistance you qualify for a Public Defender. Almost everyone through my courtroom gets some kind of assistance, single working capable males on food stamps, getting federal housing assistance. Federal Education programs have filled our local community college, giving them tuition and cash to live on, these are repeated felons who stand in court for assault and drug cases and argue they must get out as because they have a test tomorrow. (Ok libs they need to get a chance to be good people BUT I am talking about career criminals here) These people on assistance made the paper last night on their drug crimes, they live on our dime but can come up with 75000 in bail (that is 7500 min in CASH) to post bail. I also investigated Welfare fraud in my career, the scams are huge and take tons of money from us. NO, it is not the people that paid in to SS that are the problem it is everyone that is on a free ride. SORRY RANT! I will stop.

I'm with you on that, some people need help, but tons are GAMING the system.

[RoadKill]

I have to throw in on this one, people paid for social security and Medicare. That is not what is breaking us, as part of my job I stand in court at the arraignment hearings. In MN if you get public assistance you qualify for a Public Defender. Almost everyone through my courtroom gets some kind of assistance, single working capable males on food stamps, getting federal housing assistance. Federal Education programs have filled our local community college, giving them tuition and cash to live on, these are repeated felons who stand in court for assault and drug cases and argue they must get out as because they have a test tomorrow. (Ok libs they need to get a chance to be good people BUT I am talking about career criminals here) These people on assistance made the paper last night on their drug crimes, they live on our dime but can come up with 75000 in bail (that is 7500 min in CASH) to post bail. I also investigated Welfare fraud in my career, the scams are huge and take tons of money from us. NO, it is not the people that paid in to SS that are the problem it is everyone that is on a free ride. SORRY RANT! I will stop.

I'm with you on that, some people need help, but tons are GAMING the system.

So what are a few more going to hurt ?  We should invite the whole world to participate. Maybe we should just send food and money around the globe to any one that asks and maybe the good ole U.S.A can offer police service and fight their wars for them too. Why must you all be so focused on the money we waste within our borders when we could be wasting it else where!? If we find life elsewhere in the solar system they will need what you have worked for as well,so giving money to Haiti for space exploration is the next step in true humanitarian efforts. Like my buddy Rodney always says.. " Can't we all just get along? " .