The National Budget Crisis Solved

The National Budget Crisis Solved

I just don’t understand the thinking when it comes to the National Budget. I think that if you gave the budget to 10 housewives, complete with a breakdown of every penny budgeted, just a shopping list type breakdown, they could balance the budget in a week without cutting Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security nor the Military or education.

Any working family today knows what it takes to make your budget, and what it means to cut back.  You don’t cut back or don’t pay your mortgage or rent.  You don’t cut back or don’t pay your health insurance.  Yes, it may be considered a luxury, but you have to have it.

A normal, working class family’s austerity plan includes:

·         Cutting the grocery bill

Ø  buying store brand groceries,

Ø  eating cheaper cuts of meat,

Ø  more casseroles, and

Ø  taking your lunch to work

·         Cutting the electricity bill

Ø  Turning the thermostat up, closing blinds and curtains

Ø  Turning off lights

Ø  Unplugging unnecessary appliances such as unused tv’s, vcr’s and cable boxes

·         Adjusting the car insurance, maybe increasing the deductible

·         Cut the family’s gasoline costs by staying home or taking public transportation when possible

·         No more extra classes such as ballet, music or ceramics

·         Limit eating out

·         No more vacations and absolutely unnecessary trips, and

·         Limit luxuries

And so forth.

The US Government, the President and Legislature, are cutting the important things.  Benjamin Franklin said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” 

·         We save pennies by cutting pork barrel items.  

·         We stop funding research and studies. Yes, I know it’s controversial.  But the private sector will step up. 

·         We stop paying $1000 for a screwdriver we can buy at Home Depot for $20.

·         No more traveling to other countries for “diplomatic reasons.”  We aren’t dating. We are adults.  Other countries will understand, and if they don’t – tough.

·         No more diplomatic dinners.  My gosh, the invitations alone probably cost more than the average family makes in a year.  That doesn’t even count the food, the flowers, the wait staff and the security.  A visiting dignitary will have to just understand that we are tightening our national belt.  Twenty guests work just as well, if not better than, as 2,000 or even 200!

·         No more free lunch for the legislators.  We have to pay for our meals. They should, too!

·         No more running to the rescue of every Tom, Dick or Sally that cries foul.  We can’t save them if we can’t save ourselves!

·         No more owing money to other countries, like China (OMG! WE OWE CHINA MONEY?????????!)

·         No more acting like we have more money to spend than we do.

 We stop all of the non-essentials until we get back on our feet.

We won’t have to raise taxes or cut paying our MAJOR obligations – the Military, who deserve more respect than we give them, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Education. (Yes, education.  An educated work force earns more and eventually pays more in taxes.)

We can live within our means, if we actually try.  Just ask a million moms across America.  If we can do it, so can the U.S. Government.