Paul Ryan's 2012 Budget

[Townsend]

I believe they haven't introduced a bill but have put together a list of all the cuts by program. 

I consider counters and negotiation a range of proposals.

[Townsend]

Anyone on the goverment dole gets a mark on their ID.  No liquor or tobacco sales allowed.  That'd get almost anyone able to be off of the teat off the teat.

edit:  Anyone getting subsidies for HVAC gets a control that only allows for a certain range of cooling or heating depending on the season.

Guido, is this a point we can agree on or am I off on this one?

Edit:  Hell, anyone...is there a reason this should not be done?

[Gaspar]

I believe they haven't introduced a bill but have put together a list of all the cuts by program. 

Marvelous, then all they need to do is pass a bill, any bill and then hammer out the details when the bill goes to conference.  If they have a list than they obviously know exactly what cuts they feel need to be made.

LOL! We both know that will not happen. 

[guido911]

Guido, is this a point we can agree on or am I off on this one?

Edit:  Hell, anyone...is there a reason this should not be done?

I didn't realize you were being serious. But if you are, my question is why such a policy is not in place already.

[Gaspar]

Anyone on the goverment dole gets a mark on their ID.  No liquor or tobacco sales allowed.  That'd get almost anyone able to be off of the teat off the teat.

edit:  Anyone getting subsidies for HVAC gets a control that only allows for a certain range of cooling or heating depending on the season.

This is already done with food stamps (food card), but we live in a free market, and it's easy for mom to go to the store and buy 3 cases of Coke Zero on her food card, then trade it for a 6 pack of MLB or a pack of Marlboros.  In fact it has created a whole cottage industry of criminals willing to broker the transactions.  

I still like my idea of simply requiring them to put in at least 16 hours of work a week.  A few hours a day, licking stamps, answering phones, or flagging traffic.  

[Townsend]

This is already done with food stamps (food card), but we live in a free market, and it's easy for mom to go to the store and buy 3 cases of Coke Zero on her food card, then trade it for a 6 pack of MLB or a pack of Marlboros.  In fact it has created a whole cottage industry of criminals willing to broker the transactions.  

OK, if caught, removal from some or all programs.  Make it strict enough and maybe some of it could work.  What could be done to the brokers?

I don't want more people going to jail or kids losing the ability to eat but there has to be some way.

The HVAC should happen and if there is any tampering, they lose it for 2 months in the summer.  (that way no one freezes to death.)

[carltonplace]

So raising taxes on me and not on thee is the solution?    What do want to do about all the entitlements out there?

Bush tax cuts were a cut for me as well.
Entitlements need to be limited, a hand up instead of a hand out. But SS and MC are different...we pay these as deductions to our take home, so they are essentially earned. Granted they were meant to be supplements and not used as the only income/health sollution (but times are hard). Hopefully I will not need to use Medicare in my old age because I have a progressive savings and retirement plan, but you never know what might happen between now and then.

[Cats Cats Cats]

Hopefully I will not need to use Medicare in my old age because I have a progressive savings and retirement plan, but you never know what might happen between now and then.

You have to use Medicare.  During Bush's first term they made it the primary insurance.  You can spend $500k a month on insurance but Medicare picks up the tab first.  You can get insurance to pick up the rest though.   You will have to find a way to opt out of medicare all together. #Winning

[Gaspar]

OK, if caught, removal from some or all programs.  Make it strict enough and maybe some of it could work.  What could be done to the brokers?

I don't want more people going to jail or kids losing the ability to eat but there has to be some way.

The HVAC should happen and if there is any tampering, they lose it for 2 months in the summer.  (that way no one freezes to death.)

It will only work as well as making drugs illegal.

It's not addressing the problem.  It's telling them "hey you can go out and get drunk again if you get a job."  

As for the HVAC thing, most could care less.  You don't even need to tamper with them, just set a glass of ice water on the top of the unit above the thermostat or a glass of hot water and the device will pump out heat or cool to your liking.

The great thing about Americans is that we find creative solutions to problems. . .even those of us who live parasitic lives.

To address the problem, we must make it less comfortable for someone to be on the teet than to work and earn a living.  We must encourage people to seek the rewards of independence and realize the American dream rather than voting for a living.

[Townsend]

It will only work as well as making drugs illegal.

It's not addressing the problem.  It's telling them "hey you can go out and get drunk again if you get a job."  

As for the HVAC thing, most could care less.  You don't even need to tamper with them, just set a glass of ice water on the top of the unit above the thermostat or a glass of hot water and the device will pump out heat or cool to your liking.

The great thing about Americans is that we find creative solutions to problems. . .even those of us who live parasitic lives.

To address the problem, we must make it less comfortable for someone to be on the teet than to work and earn a living.  We must encourage people to seek the rewards of independence and realize the American dream rather than voting for a living.

I still think it should be done just to cover bases.  Why not?  There are rules set in place despite people breaking them.   Some will follow the rules.  Maybe it would help make some of them uncomfortable.   Shoot, just like drugs in the 80's, encourage the kids to tell on their parents.

[carltonplace]

I don't think that abuse is as wide spread as you make it out to be, I also don't think that abusers are voting as religiously often or as vehemenently liberal as you suggest (if they are voting at all). Most people on these programs are the ones that we would expect; temporarily down and in need of a hand up.

[Townsend]

I don't think that abuse is as wide spread as you make it out to be, I also don't think that abusers are voting as religiously often or as vehemenently liberal as you suggest (if they are voting at all). Most people on these programs are the ones that we would expect; temporarily down and in need of a hand up.

I wasn't thinking of elections.

I was just thinking "why not save some money?".  If it's not something that is worthy of attempt, so be it.

I guess I still have some animosity towards the "where's my house" mentality I heard more than I should've a few years ago.

My foray into conservatism dashed on the rocks below.

[Gaspar]

I still think it should be done just to cover bases.  Why not?  There are rules set in place despite people breaking them.   Some will follow the rules.  Maybe it would help make some of them uncomfortable.   Shoot, just like drugs in the 80's, encourage the kids to tell on their parents.

Hey, I'm all for it, but any penalty associated with it will be gutted because you will get the myriad of poverty pimps screaming:

"This law will only serve to imprison more minorities, and put children out on the streets to starve in the cold." -Jackson, or Sharpton, or both.

Keep in mind that no liberal politician would even propose such a preposterous idea.  These are the votes they need to bus in every election. 

[nathanm]

What is so sinful about reigning in massively-expensive entitlement programs? Even Obama has said our debt is unsustainable, yet no one is seriously taking it on until now.

The thing you label as "Obamacare" actually has some Medicare fixes in it that should keep costs from rising much once everything goes into effect. Maybe it'll actually work. Ryan's plan has been tried and failed.

[Gaspar]

Yesterday from President Obama's speech:
“I want a meeting again tomorrow here at the White House.”

“I will invite the same folks that we invited today,” he added. “And if that doesn’t work, we’ll invite them again the day after that. And I will have my entire team available to work through the details of getting a deal done.”

As with all crisis, early this morning, the president hopped in Airforce One and jetted off.  He will be spending this morning on the campaign trail in Philadelphia, giving a speech, slapping some hands and enjoying a Cheese Steak sandwich (which Philli Cheese Steak landmark will he eat at?  News at 11).  Then he jets off to New York to meet with Rev. Al Sharpton and his "Action Network" to shore up support for 2012.

This is beyond remarkable.