Messing around with the federal budget

[mrmitchell]

I cut $61B--but, then again, I was doing it in "stages". A sudden elimination of the deficit might be too much too fast (I'm no economist, I dunno.)

[Whoha]

The a collapse in the value of the dollar won't hurt exporters actually.

[Jon Miller]

now

Budget Totals
Old budget was $3251.488 billion
($2264.172 billion in spending, $987.316 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).

New budget is $3145.98 billion
($2410.98 billion in spending, $735 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).
You have cut the deficit by $105.51 billion.
Your new deficit is $251.49 billion.

Jon Miller

[Jon Miller]

Military Spending ($504.14 billion: increased $104.46 billion)
Iraq War ($40 billion: cut $9.99 billion)
Veterans and Military Retirement ($103.38 billion: increased $6.39 billion)
International affairs ($18.57 billion: cut $5.21 billion)
General science, space, and technology ($45.16 billion: increased $21.69 billion)
Non-Defense Energy Spending ($0.94 billion)
Natural resources and environment ($30.91 billion)
Agriculture ($16.46 billion: cut $4.67 billion)
Commerce and housing credit ($9.58 billion)
Transportation ($63.73 billion)
Community and regional development ($13.75 billion)
Education, training, employment, and social services ($100.75 billion: increased $18.95 billion)
Non-Medicare Health Spending ($283.46 billion: increased $37.67 billion)
Medicare ($301.15 billion: increased $42.51 billion)
Non-SS Retirement and Unemployment ($106.53 billion: increased $9.68 billion)
Social Welfare Spending ($210.68 billion: increased $28.18 billion)
Social security ($423.25 billion: cut $75.58 billion)
Administration of justice ($33.41 billion: cut $5.34 billion)
General government administration ($19.95 billion)
Net interest ($138.82 billion: cut $23.88 billion)
Undistributed offsetting receipts ($-53.64 billion)
2001 Tax Cut ($45.4 billion: cut $58.59 billion)
2003 Tax Cut ($26.71 billion: cut $83.17 billion)
Corporate Tax Breaks ($41.22 billion: cut $28.19 billion)
Personal Business & Investment Benefits ($63.58 billion: cut $73.02 billion)
Pension & Retirement Deductions ($108.98 billion: cut $46.71 billion)
Employer-paid Health Insurance ($144.19 billion: increased $24.03 billion)
Itemized Deductions ($217.25 billion: increased $21.7 billion)
Other personal tax expenditures ($87.67 billion: cut $8.31 billion)

Jon Miller

[Sava]

I'm a small spender compared to the rest of you BIG SPENDING LIBERAL WHACKOS!

[Arrian]

I tried to avoid drastic changes, so I left many things alone. I cut nuclear weapons 70%, procurement and research 30% each, but increased medical care for vets 10%. I pretty much wiped out the tax cuts (I reduced the bottom two wealth categories by 50% for the '01 cut, and eliminated everything else). I increased education funding 10%, and cut some of the "corporate welfare" stuff by 30%. I cut agri subsidies 30%. I think I boosted energy research by 10%, and pollution regulation/abatement by 10% as well.

That was basically it. The result was a deficit of about $100 billion. I didn't cut the Iraq War because, well, it happened. Can't take it back now.

-Arrian

[Ben Kenobi]

Military Spending ($504.14 billion: increased $104.46 billion)

I'd rather keep the cuts than the military.

[mrmitchell]

Oh yeah, BTW, I decreased military spending, but increased military benefits and veterans benefits. Then I can't remember the social changes I made, and I cut out most of the top 1% / next 4 % / next 15% tax cuts, and slightly added to the bottom 60% tax cuts, IIRC.

[Sava]

Originally posted by mrmitchell
Oh yeah, BTW, I decreased military spending, but increased military benefits and veterans benefits. Then I can't remember the social changes I made, and I cut out most of the top 1% / next 4 % / next 15% tax cuts, and slightly added to the bottom 60% tax cuts, IIRC.

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi




I'd rather keep the cuts than the military.

you gotta love that military research

Military Spending ($504.14 billion: increased $104.46 billion)
$128.64 billion .... Military personnel
Increased $29.68 bil. from base of $98.956 bil.( 30%)
$146.56 billion .... Operation and maintenance
Increased $13.32 bil. from base of $133.235 bil.( 10%)
$59.52 billion ..... Procurement
Cut $14.87 bil. from base of $74.396 bil.(-20%)
$123.65 billion .... Research, development, test and evaluation
Increased $61.82 bil. from base of $61.827 bil.( 100%)
$8.98 billion ...... Military Construction, Family Housing and Other
Cut $2.23 bil. from base of $11.221 bil.(-20%)
$34.59 billion ..... Atomic Energy Defense Activities
Increased $17.29 bil. from base of $17.296 bil.( 100%)
$2.2 billion ....... Defense Related activities
Cut $0.54 bil. from base of $2.752 bil.(-20%)

Jon Miller

[Ben Kenobi]

You'd cut the housing while increasing R&D?

No point in having cool weapons, without the men and women in the forces.

[Jon Miller]

I increased the military personnel by 30%

and the R&D I feel is very important, perhaps one of the most important things hte military does

Jon Miller

[Arrian]

Is that 30% increase intended to be an actual troop strength increase, or are you upping the salaries and keeping the current number of people (or a mixture)?

If you're increasing troop numbers, and decreasing housing funding, won't there be a serious housing shortage?

-Arrian

[Jon Miller]

a mixture actually

I admit that I don't know that much, perhaps it should be raised back to even?

I would also allow members to live off base in the US, which would decrease housing expenses (they already do to some extant, the increase in pay would than by slighlt offset by increased cost of living)

Jon Miller

[korn469]

Budget Totals
Old budget was $3274.734 billion
($2292.807 billion in spending, $981.927 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).
New budget is $2253.12 billion
($1525.09 billion in spending, $728.03 billion in tax expenditures and cuts).

You have cut the deficit by $1021.61 billion.
Your new deficit is $-664.6 billion.

Oops!
You've cut so much that the federal budget now contains a substantial surplus. Many economists warn that this budget may help induce or prolong a recession, and ordinary citizens demand a refund. You might want to cut taxes or raise spending.