List of Republican Budget Cuts WOW
 

These are all the programs that the new Republican House has proposed cutting. Read to the end.

* Corporation for Public Broadcasting Subsidy -- $445 million annual savings.
* Save America 's Treasures Program -- $25 million annual savings.
* International Fund for Ireland -- $17 million annual savings.
* Legal Services Corporation -- $420 million annual savings.
* National Endowment for the Arts -- $167.5 million annual savings.
* National Endowment for the Humanities -- $167.5 million annual savings.
* Hope VI Program -- $250 million annual savings.
* Amtrak Subsidies -- $1.565 billion annual savings.
* Eliminate duplicative education programs -- H.R. 2274 (in last Congress), authored by Rep. McKeon, eliminates 68 at a savings of $1.3 billion annually.
* U.S. Trade Development Agency -- $55 million annual savings.
* Woodrow Wilson Center Subsidy -- $20 million annual savings.
* Cut in half funding for congressional printing and binding -- $47 million annual savings.
* John C. Stennis Center Subsidy -- $430,000 annual savings.
* Community Development Fund -- $4.5 billion annual savings.
* Heritage Area Grant s and Statutory Aid -- $24 million annual savings.
* Cut�Federal Travel Budget in Half -- $7.5 billion annual savings
* Trim Federal Vehicle Budget by 20% -- $600 million annual savings.
* Essential Air Service -- $150 million annual savings.
* Technology Innovation Program -- $70 million annual savings.
* Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program -- $125 million annual savings.
* Department of Energy Grant s to States for Weatherization -- $530 million annual savings.
* Beach Replenishment -- $95 million annual savings.
* New Starts Transit -- $2 billion annual savings.
* Exchange Programs for Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Their Historical Trading Partners in Massachusetts -- $9 million annual savings
* Intercity and High Speed Rail Grant s -- $2.5 billion annual savings.
* Title X Family Planning -- $318 million annual savings.
* Appalachian Regional Commission -- $76 million annual savings.
* Economic Development Administration -- $293 million annual savings.
* Programs under the National and Community Services Act -- $1.15 billion annual savings.
* Applied Research at Department of Energy -- $1.27 billion annual savings.
* FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership -- $200 million annual savings.
* Energy Star Program -- $52 million annual savings.
* Economic Assistance to Egypt -- $250 million annually.
* U.S. Agency for International Development -- $1.39 billion annual savings.
* General Assistance to District of Columbia -- $210 million annual savings.
* Subsidy for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority -- $150 million annual savings.
* Presidential Campaign Fund -- $775 million savings over ten years.
* No funding for federal office space acquisition -- $864 million annual savings.
* End prohibitions on competitive sourcing of government services.
* Repeal the Davis-Bacon Act -- More than $1 billion annually.
* IRS Direct Deposit: Require the IRS to deposit fees for some services it offers (such as processing payment plans for taxpayers) to the Treasury, instead of allowing it to remain as part of its budget -- $1.8 billion savings over ten years.
* Require collection of unpaid taxes by federal employees -- $1 billion total savings. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS ABOUT?
* Prohibit taxpayer funded union activities by federal employees -- $1.2 billion savings over ten years.
* Sell excess federal properties the government does not make use of -- $15 billion total savings.
* Eliminate death gratuity for Members of Congress. WHAT???
* Eliminate Mohair Subsidies -- $1 million annual savings.
* Eliminate taxpayer subsidies to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- $12.5 million annual savings WELL ISN'T THAT SPECIAL
* Eliminate Market Access Program -- $200 million annual savings.
* USDA Sugar Program -- $14 million annual savings.
* Subsidy to Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) -- $93 million annual savings.
* Eliminate the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program -- $56.2 million annual savings.
* Eliminate fund for Obamacare administrative costs -- $900 million savings.
* Ready to Learn TV Program -- $27 million savings.. WHY?????
* HUD Ph.D. Program.
* Deficit Reduction Check-Off Act.
* TOTAL SAVINGS: $2.5 Trillion over Ten Years

My question is, what is all this doing in the budget in the first place?

This is sickening.

Like this:
* Cut Federal Travel Budget in Half -- $7.5 billion annual savings
* Trim Federal Vehicle Budget by 20% -- $600 million annual savings.

Yes, citizens do not know of the waste of our taxpayer money. Yet, they want to reduce your social security payments?

Good point vg.... That says it all. What's wrong with this picture?

Who's "they"?

These are my two favorites-

* Require collection of unpaid taxes by federal employees -- $1 billion total savings. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS ABOUT?
* Prohibit taxpayer funded union activities by federal employees -- $1.2 billion savings over ten years. MORE WHAT THE HELL...

Villagegolfer, Thank you soooo much for sharing this information! WOW!

"Prohibit taxpayer funded union activities by federal employees".

Can you give some examples of what taxpayer funded union activities by federal employees you are referring to?

"Essential Air Service -- $150 million annual savings."

Can you explain exactly what Essential Air Service is and how it works for both the consumer and the airline?

There really are no specific explanations for all of these items. It's all listed as VG's said, though.

Here's a link to U.S. New & World Reports story that you can peruse.

http://www.usnews.com/news/washingto...-spending-cuts

Great! Haven't Even Gotten To The "Big Stuff"
 

This is great. And we haven't even gotten to Defense, Medicare and Social Security. Take a whack at those and we'd be getting somewhere.

Money is just flowing out like a stream of water. Nobody is paying attention. Yet they are not giving SS increases. Wake up people. Our money is being Pi**** away to buy votes. Politicians care only for votes.

Could you please clarify this statement. I went back to be sure and you have many times said SS is a Ponzi scheme. Should we agree with the GOP and abolish SS or should we get increases in our checks?

They are the congress of the USA. That includes the House, the Senate and the POTUS. What is needed is relentless positive action on spending and an attribute in place that will solve the problem. NO ONE IN CONGRESS WANTS TO TACKLE THIS. It is my contention this problem is being kicked down the road until after the 2012 elections. I am not listening to any more excuses like it was the prior administrations fault anymore. The POTUS took the job to fix these problems, isn't about time He and the rest of the Congress delivered on these promises?? The time for finger pointing and placing blame is over, the time for being concerned with who is going to get credit for any accomplishments is gone. We the American Voters demand all of Congress gets off their duffs and get to work, not after the 2012 elections but TODAY. We the American people deserve, no demand, better than what this Congress, so far, has given us.

I missed the part of the GOP Platform where they propose the abolishment of the Social Security program. Can you please provide a link.

Didn't Wannabee Rick Perry call Social Security a Ponzi Scheme and other Wannabees jump on that bandwagon?

Social Security is poised for a 3% increase in benefits in 2012.

Dale, you have to remember these GNopers are all NIMBYs. They are all for government cuts but do not want it to happen to them. Hence, Not In My Back Yard.

Its like tag team wrestling. I would prefer that VG is given the opportunity to answer for himself if that is OK. No offense.

I never said to abolish SS and the Republicans didn't either. I said that government put SS in the General fund. They raided SS in the 60's and now it is a pay as you go system.

When are people going to wake up? The Tea Party is right. The more money you give to this Congress and White House, the more they will spend. They are like some crazy person who maxes out his credit card and then just gets another credit card to max out. You cannot keep throwing money at a budget problem.

An understanding of phrases would be helpful. NIMBY is a reference to building prisons, power plants etc. in your own district. Sheeeeeeeeez

Oh, now you tell me that. Here I thought the soluation was to keep throwing money at any problem.

I see. Thanks for clarifying that. I agree with you on the budget also. Hopefully, Romney will get the nomination and get elected. I do think he will put the brakes on billions of bad spending.

Yep......selfish to the end. :boom:

Who is selfish? Can you explain yourself for once?

Looks as though I was correct again. "NIMBY is also used more generally to describe people who advocate some proposal (for example, austerity measures including budget cuts, tax increases, downsizing), but oppose implementing it in a way that would require sacrifice on their part."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NIMBY

But it is early in the morning and maybe your cup of coffee hasn't kicked in yet. Anyhow, enjoy your day. Looks like another great day in The Villages.

I will excuse your "Sheeez".

I never heard the second definition. New one on me. Have a good day, too.

SS is a Ponzi scheme by simple definition. There is no denying that even if the term is offensive to the easily offended.

Rick Perry also theorized in his book that the implementation of SS was unconstitutional. That's his opinion, but he hasn't challenged the established system and admits it's here to stay. He believes like most all Republicans, and even more Democrats than will admit it, that the current system needs serious adjustments in eligibility requirements in order to remain viable in the future.

No Republican legislator has called for the "abolishment" of Social Security. If one has, I would love to see the link.

No offense taken, but I still retain the privilege of joining this group conversation when I have something to contribute, I presume.

You Can Figure It Out
 

The 9-9-9 plan eliminates the payroll witholding tax that pays for both Social Security and Medicare. While Herman Cain isn't specific on his proposals for those entitlement programs, if he eliminates the taxes that pay for them I think you can figure out what he has in mind.

Absolutely, but please keep in mind that I have visions of a horrible smack down coming every time I see you comment on any post I make. Thats on me so, I will deal with it as best I can. I take your comments as critical and bulling and perhaps I should not do that. Sorry if that offends you, just trying to be honest.

I fear that also, and call me greedy, but without my and my wifes SS, we will be moving from The Villages real quick.

Welcome to Pork spending 101.

Just once.....NIMBY. :boom:

Thank you for adding clarity to this subject. I really look forward to your in depth analysis.

I've often heard a saying that plays on the letters of the word ASSUME, when you do, in fact, ASSUME. You can assume what you want, but just keep that saying in mind.

I'm sure if we were really replacing the tax system, a lot of fundings origins would change. Don't you think?

Let's take a look at some of that list.

- Legal Service Corporation. $420M. This is where we pay for that whole "if you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you". That's what they do. They provide legal services to low-income people. Care to shred Miranda?

- Amtrak subsidies. Sure. Close that down because it loses money. Well, the roads don't make a profit so why don't we close THOSE down? Neither does the police department. Oh - and just where are all the cars supposed to go - especially in the Northeast - when the trains stop running. You think you want to put those passenger in the air? Amtrak has half the traffic in the most congested part of American airspace - Boston - NY - Philly - DC. GO ahead - make it even worse.

- New Starts Transit. Sure, let's just plow more money into more crowded roads.

- High Speed Rail Grants - that $2.5B isn't repeating at the moment so claiming an 'annual savings' is disingenuous.

- Economic assistance to Egypt. $250M/year? Where did they get that number? I looked it up and it's $1.5 BILLION. Can't they get their numbers right? (Especially when it would make their case BETTER?)

- Require collection of unpaid taxes on federal employees - I actually saw someone in our office lose his job over this.

Now look at most of the items in there. Chicken feed. Oh there are some other big ones in there ($900M on Obamacare administration - though we haven't started spending that so again DC is coming up with saving money that there's no guarantee of spending) and some really loopy ones in there (mohair subsidies - STILL?).

But as someone else said - not a DIME looking at the military, Merdicare/Medicaid fraud or Social Security.

Cuts are tough, but 2.5 trillion isn't chicken feed.

Budget Cuts
 

My guess is that most of these cuts are "pork". Favors done in exchange for votes and/or campaign contributions. If these are Republican proposed cuts it is probably the case that most of the items listed are Democrats "pork". Surely there wouldn't be a list at least as long of Republican "pork". Nah !!
Our politicians, ALL of them, are bought and paid for.
We get the kind of government we deserve. Always have and always will unless some drastic measures are taken.

Any drastic measure ideas that you care to share?:ho:

That would maybe be an interesting read. I'd like to hear about Deerfly's proposed drastic measures myself.

Amtrak makes money in the NE corridor. No-one would consider shutting down a profitable route. It also makes money on the auto train and the Acela Express. Most routes make no sense economically. This is particularly true of the long-haul routes such as the Texas Eagle running from MN to Dallas. One report concluded that we could save money by giving each rider a first class airline ticket and shutting down the route. Amtrak is a classic example of pork, the proposals for high-speed rail are no different. Every congressman and Senator wants stops in their district. Closing the unprofitable routes and privatizing the profitable parts of Amtrak saves billions and profits can be used to improve service.

As I'm a rail fan (but not to the exclusion of other modes of transport) I'll try to keep this short.

The study about the 'give them a first class ticket' has long been debunked.

People who are pro-rail like myself - TRULY pro-rail - want that as an OPTION.

But about privatizing things. The roads don't make money - so why not privatize all of them? The airports don't - so why not privatize them? The only reason the intercity busses in NH make money is because the state inexplicably bought the 6-figure busses FOR them! (And in THIS state, that's UNHEARD of)

Police? Fire? Libraries? Public parks? NONE of them make money.

I've often said that we COULD look to Canada or Europe and learn a few things from them. Especially when it comes to reining in health care costs. But one other thing we could learn is that privatizing transportation generally has bad results - as the UK has learned from privatizing their rail services.