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Sunday, April 18, 2010

The Budget

I was raised in a staunchly democratic family. Don't force a ten year old to go to a political banquette, if you don't have to. It will not end well. Right now republicans look a little crazy, but the dems can be just as crazy. In those campaign speeches it was always lets get those republicans.

I disagree with republicans on a series of issues but they do have a few good points.

I may be a hippie, but I am deep in the money.

I am not a fiscal conservative. I believe in the Keynesian idea that a small deficit is a good thing, but what we have right now is not a small deficit.What we have right now is the largest deficit in the history of the United States. (I was wrong about that. When you consider the deficit as a percentage of GDP, it was actually larger in the 1940's, during WWII. Although in terms of the dollar amount it is still larger now.)Something needs to be done about it. That said its not necessarily anyone's fault. Something needs to be done about it. That said its not necessarily anyone's fault. The Dems want to blame Bush for it and the Reps want to blame Clinton and Obama, but its none of their fault.

One of the reasons why Clinton had a surplus was that the economy was generally booming and everyone was paying more taxes as a result. Now that it's not and, especially over the last 3 years, has really been hit the government is simply not making as much money as it used to.

The problem is exacerbated by trying to figure out what programs to cut. Contrary to popular belief over the the last 30 years the federal (states are another story) bureaucracy, based on the number of federal emplyees, has not grown that much. I am of the belief that in a modern society the idea of not feeling the hand of government is outmoded. We need the Environmental Protection Agency(Yes I believe global warming is man made). We need the Department of Transportation (I'm really hoping we get started working on that bullet train). We need the Consumer Product Safety Commission (Toyota!!!!!!!!).

If we got rid of some of these programs there would be outrage. Unemployment is still high and right now government stimulus packages are still needed.

It's a catch 22. Hey I'm just a plucky college kid. Don't ask me what to do.

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