|
as long as it is by independent firms and not Congress. |
|
He could opt for:
1. Find magic lamp with genie to get three wishes.
2. Wish for 70 trillion in gold to pay off government debt and obligation.
I think my plan would have a higher chance of implementation than his.
Everyone wants to eliminate programs that don't work. Until you start touching on the specifics. (Certain Defense Dept. contracts; War on Drugs; Department of Education, etc.) Or until you start talking about some Senator/Congressman's pet project. |
|
Dr. Coburn is spot on in his analysis. What I cannot seem to understand, however, is where will our elected officials (from both sides of the aisle) find the courage to stop acting in their own behalf and instead start acting on what is good for the country.
While the press was up in arms yesterday over the Madoff Ponzi scheme, no one bothered to make the link to the largest Ponzi scheme of all time...one sponsored by our friends in Congress: Social Security. The $50 billion Madoff investors will lose is peanuts in comparison with what our elected officials have - and will continue - to rip off from us.
The saddest thing of all is that when the American public is offered alternatives, they cling to the same government that has stolen their retirement savings from them.
The body that needs oversight is Congress. Go get 'em, Dr. Coburn. |
|
|
Here's a start: Get rid of Comrade Pelosi's private, government-paid jet. Why does she need a private jet to take her to and from the Left Coast? Can't she travel commercial like us serfs? She has a lot of nerve using a private jet while her party rails on the CEO's of the Big 3 for arriving at Washington in their jets. The hypocrisy of this woman, and her entire party, is mind-boggling. |
|
|
|
Lots of sarcasm and complaints on an issue we as Americans have control over...Its called the right to vote and starts at the local level. If you dont like what your Congressmen is proposing or voting for, get a petition going and let him/her know of the dissatisfaction. If they want to keep their job they will listen. Otherwise, vote them out.
If you think you can do a better job, stop being a fricking armchair quarterback, put down the 6-pack, get off your dead a-- and DO SOMETHING!!!!
Those of you who depend on leftist media to back up your opinions are naive and out of touch. You really should get out more.
|
|
- - it's spelled wasted (although I also don't qualify as a nifty spellur), but I sure have to agree with one big thing - - Dubya's has us fronting the bill for Iraq all this time, while the McClellans from the Pentagon weren't actually Winning, 'til Patreous came along. at last, a little tardy, but who's counting? No, we American taxpayers have paid, and the Iraqis have been cashing those oil revenue checks, not us.
Anyway, thank God for guys like Senator Colburn! Imhoff (I think that's the proper spelling of his buddy from Oklahoma) is another good one -- wish we had more!
Wish I could feel some optimism.... but, candidly, I can't - - not with an avowed socialist in the catbird seat and creeps like Reid, Pelosi, Franks, Leahy, Dodd, Durban, Schumer and Maxine Waters around. We appear to be flushing this once-great country right down the toilet. |
|
|
Quoting CBS and/or the LA Times is a questionable practice -- nearly as bad as NBC and the NY Times... |
|
The two most effective ways to control the budget:
- Get rid of ALL illegal aliens and their anchor babies
- STOP ALL SOCIAL PROGRAMS
The above two issues are the main reason why our tax dollars are going:
- across the border
- buying drugs and alcohol
- encouraging pregnant teens
- making poverty a way of life |
|
|
Yes, Coburn's beefs are mostly valid. But he displays equal delusion by leaving out the Iraq War. The American people aren't that dumb. |
|
|
i like Senator Coburn very much. i would vote for him. Not sure how long he wants to remain in the Senate? |
|
|
I've read your whine, rants, and complaints. What would you have done after 9/11? Apologize? |
|
The Iraq war is winding down. We'll see if it was money well spent. It'll be a decade or more to really know.
One thing we know right now - Congressional oversight = things get worse. |
|
|
Want to cut spending? I urge you to investigate Rep. Jeff Flake from Colorado whose never ending fight against pork barrell spending on the congressional floor is inspiring. Pork barrell spending is at a run away pace and getting worse since it allows elected officials to pad their pockets by securing funds for their contributors. It's all about power and prok barrell is an easy way to keep it. |
|
Okay, let's not rehash all the arguments about what got us there, et al. Rather, I'm taking issue with Dubya on (1) not getting some competent warriors in there; the McClellans in the Pentagon were pitiful, the war dragged on, and on. Finally, Petraeous and the surge, a few years too late -- but finally.....
Then, the fact that, these last few years anyway, we're still footing the bill while Iraq cashes the oil revenue checks? GadZooks!!
In any event, seems as if we're almost "victorious" - - - almost.
The Iraq thing is the least of our worries. |
|
|
Your referencing the LA LA Times and CBS news functionally advertises you as a nutcase liberal. If that's where you get your information, you are sadly mislead... I mean lied to. |
|
|
I don't know if there are any middle-class representatives or senators so maybe one way to cut spending is to get rid of their paychecks and benefits. I tend to think that they are all wealthy enough to take care of their own health insurance and retirement. If they want us to pay more taxes it's time for them to put their money where their mouth is. If I remember my history correctly when this nation started the Senators and Representatives didn't get a paycheck for their position. |
|
Sounds good - but congress doesn't need a paycheck from you & me to cash in. They will cash in from lobbyists and from the use of threats to private organizations.
Yes, the livin in easy once you get voted in. |
|
it will end when it is ok to leave. It is a good cause and millions of people are better because of it. Afganastan is important as well but having a strong base in Iraq will only help our efforts in afgan. So please shut the heck up about the war and the costs of the war. It was billy clinton who put this country in the state it was in that allowed 9/11.
|
|
Corbin's ideas sounds like the making of another Contract with America.
Corbin has my vote. |
|
Lets sponsor a new federal law. All congressional salaries and perks must be voted on every year that a senator or representative runs for election. Lets start with an annual salary of ten thousand dollars, regular tax deductions like the rest of us, social security payments, deductions to pay for their health care, and no benefits beyond what the average working stiff is entitled to at age 65. That would take care of a major drain on the federal budget. The senator or representative would be eligible for a raise at the next election cycle when the people would vote same pay or higher. If they vote lower salary, out they go.
PS. need we say that any other sources of income must be claimed and taxed at the same rate as all other U.S. citizens. No tax shelters allowed. Bonafide charitable donations accepted for reduced taxes and only one domicile allowed for tax purposes.
gubernatio sine veneratio tyrannus est.
leadership without honor is tyranny. |
|
Generally, "good causes" are worth paying for aren't they? If the Iraq War were a good cause, wouldn't it be worth paying for it? If our security and lives were truly threatened by Saddam, it would have been worth it to raise taxes and pay for it, wouldn't it? Why do our descendents have to pay for it?
It takes some impressive mental gymnastics to blame 9/11 on Clinton (8 months after he left office, though I see Obama's being blamed for things before he takes office) and to associate 9/11 with the invasion of Iraq. |
|
While I congratulate Mr Coburn on his report shining a light on some of the wateful spending it is almost useless to highlight this sort of stuff every once in a blue moon.
What "we the people" need is a daily update on where our money is going.
I'd like to see a daily updated blog listing everything congress does. A simple list of bills passed (or voted down) with a quick 2 line summary of what the bill is about with a complete list of EVERY piece of pork attached to said bill. If these clowns won't openly put there names to the pork I want to at least know which State is benefitting so we can at least narrow down who is responsible. If they won't openly represent us lets just start blanket accusations and see who stands up and owns up to it and who doesn't.
Example...some clown gets some wasteful pork added to a bill, we list every congress person in that state complete with phone, fax and e-mail contact info and we pester all of them until we can put a name to the pork. I WANT ACCOUNTABILITY AND I WANT IT NOW.
It's my contention that if the people were exposed to exactly how little actually goes on in DC and just how much time is wasted naming post offices etc we might actually be able to shame these clowns into actually representing us and not just serving themselves.
|
|