Government at the Federal, State and local levels have promised 'benefits' in exchange for votes since the start of the New Deal. Unfortunately we, as a people, have bought the idea that there is really a free lunch.

In order to get our house in order we must do the following as a start:
1. Means test Social Security.
2. Increase SS retirement age.
3. Means test Medicare.
4. Eliminate COL adjustments in all Federal, State and Local pensions. (This must include the military)
5. Over a period of ten years, change all Federal, State and local pensions to a defined contribution rather than defined benefit plans.
6. Eliminate all non-funded Federal mandates and terminate the people who were there to 'oversee' them.
7. Eliminate pensions for elected officials at all levels.
8. Freeze all Federal pay scales/benefits until they become comparable to those in private industry. At this time they are 150% to 200% higher than comparable private industry jobs.
9. Eliminate government grants for arts and other programs whose benefits occur on a local level. If the people of DC want a performing arts center, let them pay for it.
10. Eliminate all earmarks.
11. Cancel Medicare Part D.
12. Repeal Obamacare.
13. Require a cost/benefit analysis for programs at all levels including existing rules put in places by agencies such as the EPA.
14. Implement strict term limits at all levels.

These are some of my ideas of how we must come to grips with reality. Our time is extremely limited as shown by today's explosion in the price of metals. The international marketplace is starting to believe that the United States and the EU are going the route of the Weimer Republic.

Governor Christie has started down the right path, but his work must be emulated and advanced at all levels of government.