Congressional offices prepare for cuts

[harvey007]

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

Among the few dissenters in Thursday's 410-13 vote was Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the only member of the state's delegation to oppose the measure.

"I voted against it in principle," he said. "I object fundamentally to the philosophy of 'starving the beast,' and this 5 percent cut is nothing but a Republican stunt designed to shrink government so that average citizens have less ability to ... hold industry accountable."

Ellison said the trim will hurt representatives' ability to serve their constituents and maintain offices in their home districts. A co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, he said he was disappointed that so many Democrats voted for the cuts. "It's a big mistake when Democrats basically adopt Republican strategies to weaken and diminish the instrumentality of government," Ellison said.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/113114549.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiacyKU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUs

[stockholmer]

1. if the USA cut 100% of all discretionary spending, it leaves an annual deficit of over $1 trillion

only 20% of the $3 trillion+ budget is discretionary, good luck balancing those numbers without dismantling the war machine


the main items (non-discretionary that cannot be cut) are interest paid to service the national debt, mandated entitlements (eg. Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, etc)

then comes the military/security state (eg. the Defense budget, including CIA, NSA, DHS, TSA, etc, which is well over $1 trillion year, and likely much more due to the NSA and CIA covert spending



Defense Spending Is Much Greater than You Think

http://www.independent.org/blog/index.php?p=5827

Shock and Audit: The Hidden Defense Budget

http://motherjones.com/special-reports/2009/06/shock-and-audit

[Dave From Canada]

2. It still doesn't mean Congress can't get by on a little less.

[zbdent]

3. start with Republicans getting down to the absolute minimum ...

since they're so "capable" ... make them do the work themselves.

[stockholmer]

4. agreed, I just was pointing out the true scope and size of the fiscal hole that has been dug