So why is living within your means a bad thing?

[JustAlex]

My guess is, like most of the population, he would cut anything he doesn't think directly affects him. That's not a shot at him, it's a shot at society.

Agreed.

Kinda like SOME gun loving people who say that the police are useless.

And of course we all know that ALL business BUILT THEIR BUSINESSES!!!!

HURR DURR....We built our business (including the roads, signs, police that guards the peace, etc.) HURR DURR!!!!

[Wickabee]

Even Reps know that was crap and what he actually meant, not that they'd ever admit it.

I was speaking more to just people. It's very human to assume anything that doesn't involve you in some way is expendable. I like to think I've evolved past that, but I get caught sometimes myself. It says nothing of any group, other than Western society as a whole.

[AUTaxMan]

So no roads, no government funded research on basic science( which business doesn't do), no military, no fire department, no police, no EMS. How much would you cut, because the government does things that no one else would do.

Nope. Didn't say or imply that.

[Wickabee]

Nope. Didn't say or imply that.

I hate to say it but you're right, you didn't. Some assumptions were made by our friend there.

[drtom2005]

Nope. Didn't say or imply that.

I know you didn't. I gave examples of things to cut. I would like to know what you would cut. I always live under the assumption that people really do not want to see what would happen if the government did make cuts.

It will have to happen soon. I hope people are prepared.

[AUTaxMan]

I know you didn't. I gave examples of things to cut. I would like to know what you would cut. I always live under the assumption that people really do not want to see what would happen if the government did make cuts.

It will have to happen soon. I hope people are prepared.

I don't know. I just think we all ought to give to our communities. If we all could make a meaningful contribution to our communities, then maybe there wouldn't be a need for so much government welfare. I would rather spend my resources in my community on things I think beneficial than have the government tax me to spend it on things it thinks is important, being defrauded of some of it and wasting some of it along the way.

[Wickabee]

I don't know. I just think we all ought to give to our communities. If we all could make a meaningful contribution to our communities, then maybe there wouldn't be a need for so much government welfare. I would rather spend my resources in my community on things I think beneficial than have the government tax me to spend it on things it thinks is important, being defrauded of some of it and wasting some of it along the way.

Can you give some examples? "Community things" is just a tad vague.

[drtom2005]

I don't know. I just think we all ought to give to our communities. If we all could make a meaningful contribution to our communities, then maybe there wouldn't be a need for so much government welfare. I would rather spend my resources in my community on things I think beneficial than have the government tax me to spend it on things it thinks is important, being defrauded of some of it and wasting some of it along the way.

I agree with you on this but people do not think of the consequence. I agree that the government should cut spending but on different things more then likely.

The big one is the military. Stop the wars. Stop giving
big contracts unless it develops something useful like the moon missions. Medicare and Medicaid could be cut but it will lead to more people in the streets and higher insurance costs to us all.
When looking at Medicare in this country, the elderly get $3 for every dollar they put in. Asking them to pay more would be responsible. I do not know any investment that would give me a 300% return. Of course, no politician would do that because they would not get elected.

What I would with Medicare is simple. People aged 40-55, you get get it at 70. Under 40, at 75. After that, every 10 years after the census, set the time to be at 10 years less then the average life expectancy. Kids being born now expected to live to 100. They will be barely middle aged at 65.