14 JUN 2010, Monday

• Be sure to click on all the links along the way for supportive information!
• Right out of the gate...here's a cheery note.  Social Security is officially "in the red" 6 years earleir than anticipated.  Hey, Washington!  Here's a crisis you shouldn't let go to waste.  Fix it!  Now!  Reduce spending to at least stop the bleeding...Please, to the adults.  If any are left???  Great video / transcript of Senator Alan Simpson (Debt Commission) being interviewed on Social Security problems.
• And by the way...when the budget does finally get cut, and it will whether voluntarily or forced through failed Treasury bond auctions, what are the areas that they can get "real money" from?  Hmmm....click on the "2010 US Expenditures Pie Chart" (at the bottom) to make it bigger and then "You can act like a responsible adult and start making some reasonable choices!"  Have fun!  
• Make no mistake, it must be done or our kids/grandkids are going to pull the plug on us at the first opportunity, justifiably so.  Either that or they'll wring their hands and rend their garments while wailing what amazingly irresponsible knuckleheads we were to hand them such a bag of steamy dog-squeeze.
• Come November...Do the Right Thing and Vote Responsibly!  Do the research on your representatives and vote anyone / everyone out who voted for ANY big expansions in spending (Bush's Medicare Part D, Protracted War budgets, TARP, Obama's 2009 and 2010 Budgets, Obama's Stimulus, Obama-care, etc, etc).  It's a start!  
• Sooo, here's a VERY SIMPLE idea!!!  Just open your mind and consider this for a moment...require that our leadership identify and roll back all massive spending and entitlement programs put in place AFTER September 11, 2001 (9/11).  This goes for states and municipalities, too!!!  Seems to me that the country was basically fiscally sound then.  Sure, there would be some pain...but we'd have a balanced budget in 3(?) years and still be able to service Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.  The bonus by choosing that date is that any opposition from the left could immediately be completely dismissed since it would basically return us to the Clinton era spending programs which were supposedly the "best economic times our country ever knew".   
• Now, as for the Keynesians out there...You will exhort, "But, during times of slack private demand the government has to step in with deficit spending to keep the economy going until private demand picks up again."  Under the theory, I will agree.  However, I will challenge you with the second half of the theory that many so willingly forget or avoid altogether.  And that requires that the government return its budget to balance as soon as possible afterward through spending reductions / tax hikes.  To do otherwise results in an unsustainable debt curve like we are currently experiencing.  Historically, we've not done that.  Yes, I'm a spoiler...but I prefer real world to fantasy world!
• "But, what can I do?"  Write your representatives, include your version of the information discussed, then forward this and urge everyone you know to do the same.  Additionally, tell them to do the same and ask them to forward the same request to all they know, etc, etc, etc.  That's the power of the internet...use it!  Do it!  Enter your zip code in to the "Find your lawmakers, tell them what you think" box found at this page and get to it!
• Over-spending is the problem not under-taxation...just my opinion.
• Here...don't forget to have some pie..."Hmmmm, pie!"