Occam Bandage
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Thu Sep-04-08 01:18 PM
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Game: So, think you can balance the budget? Try it yourself. |
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A great, somewhat-in-depth budget simulator. See if you can achieve your policy goals *and* balance the budget. Or, if you're a jackass, try seeing how dysfunctional you can make the Federal government. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/2008/05/budget_hero/
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sinkingfeeling
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Thu Sep-04-08 01:45 PM
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killbotfactory
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Thu Sep-04-08 01:46 PM
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You can save an enormous amount of money by rolling back the Bush tax cuts.
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ncrainbowgrrl
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Thu Sep-04-08 01:54 PM
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cprompt
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Thu Sep-04-08 02:05 PM
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Solly Mack
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Thu Sep-04-08 02:17 PM
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5. I got all 3 of my chosen badges. I'm a Budget Hero |
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Health and wellness. Competitive advantage. Safety net.
Debt is no match for me
I reduced the debt from 37.7% of GDP in 2008 (8.4 trillion dollars) to 10.2% of GDP in 2018 (2.2 trillion)
Kids called to say thank you
Pushing the budget bust from 2033 to 2068
You're a down-sizer
I shrank the size of govt. from 20% of GDP in 2008 (4.4 trillion) to 19.1% in 2018 (4.2 trillion)
Just 2 of my biggest cards
Defense Budget (cut) Repeal Bush tax cuts/tax the rich
That was fun!!!
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Kitty Herder
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Thu Sep-04-08 02:20 PM
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6. Shocking how easy it is. Makes you think.... |
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Maybe they don't want to balance the budget?
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Occam Bandage
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Thu Sep-04-08 02:35 PM
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10. Well, good luck pushing that defense budget cut and tax hike on the rich through Congress. |
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Sure, we could balance the budget and fund all sorts of great social programs. But hey, the rich and megacorporations would have to pay up, and we can't be having that.
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Indenturedebtor
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Thu Sep-04-08 02:22 PM
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7. Very cool :D I didn't balance but I pushed bust to 2057 |
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and that's not accounting for increased tax revenues from a more balanced economy (huge safety net small defense budget on mine).
That was fun thanks!
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snooper2
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Thu Sep-04-08 02:22 PM
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8. You can fund all kinds of cool shit... |
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If you "Repeal the Bush tax cuts/ tax the rich"
:evilgrin:
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Ezlivin
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Thu Sep-04-08 02:29 PM
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9. No! We MUST continue to fund the Military-Industrial Complex |
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We won't be safe any other way, don't you know?
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Evoman
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Thu Sep-04-08 02:37 PM
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11. The best is comparing myself to Republicans. |
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Edited on Thu Sep-04-08 02:37 PM by Evoman
Man, they suck. It's funny how just another dumb game also displays their evil.
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Occam Bandage
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Thu Sep-04-08 02:46 PM
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13. Funny enough, those tax-and-spend Democrats seem to do much better at balancing the budget |
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than those fiscal-conservative Republicans.
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TornadoTN
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Thu Sep-04-08 02:40 PM
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12. I had fun with that - I'm a downsizer, eliminated the debt, and provided Govt Healthcare to all |
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I expanded on typically liberal programs and cut pork for the rich.
I hit 2 out of 3 badges - achieving energy independence and health care, barely missing the Obama badge (mainly because I was a bit more liberal about my cuts).
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Tierra_y_Libertad
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Thu Sep-04-08 03:08 PM
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14. Well, that was easy. Bye-bye "defense" and tax breaks for the wealthy. |
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2070+ Now, if only the politicians could figure it out.
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hunter
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Thu Sep-04-08 03:19 PM
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15. First I'm going to break the game. |
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Then I'm going to:
Cut the military budget 90%
Increase Taxes for the top 20%, and eliminate the income tax for the lower 40%.
Set a standard work week of 30-36 hours with a mandatory six week vacation for all workers.
Raise the minimum wage such that it equals 20% of a U.S. Senator's total compensation package (not simply salary) for a 36 hour work week.
Install a Universal, Single Payer Health Care system.
Seize the patents of certain pharmaceuticals at a fair market value if the pharmaceutical company is found to have engaged in certain marketing practices in opposition to the public interest, or unfair and unreasonable pricing.
Recognize drug addiction (that's alcohol and cigarettes too) as serious medical problems, and allow the financial undercutting of the illegal drug trade by providing easy access to controlled substances in specific programs designed to remediate the social problems of drug addiction and the rehabilitation of drug users who have lost the ability to function in normal society.
Support free public education through four years of college, with compensation for those going into fields necessary to the Public Welfare such as teaching, medicine, police and fire, and in times of urgency such things as housing, transportation, projects to achieve energy independence, environmental restoration, diplomacy, national defense, and full employment.
Institute a small tax on the trading of financial instruments to reduce the market volume and increase overall market scrutiny upon stocks, bonds, and other similar financial instruments. This would be a disincentive against rapid cycling in the market, and reward investors playing the longer game.
Gay marriage would also be recognized as a civil right, which might also have a small positive effect on the budget.
I don't see stuff like that in the game. Why should I be confined to such a little box?
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apocalypsehow
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Thu Sep-04-08 03:51 PM
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16. Well, just by cutting nearly a trillion dollars from the military and repealing the Bush tax cuts, |
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I was able to eliminate 5.6 trillion dollars in debt, delayed the "budget bust" (as they call it) well past 2070, and shrink dramatically the size of Federal Debt as percentage of GDP from 37.7% to 12.8%.
I did this while largely leaving Social Security alone, tinkering at the margins with Medicare, AND increasing the amount of money that goes to food stamps.
Piece of cake. :thumbsup:
I know in the real world it wouldn't be that tidy, but anything is better than what we've had the last seven years.
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Occam Bandage
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Fri Sep-05-08 12:00 PM
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17. kick for a different audience. |
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