Budget Cuts

Ever notice that to bureaucrats, a "budget cut" is really just less of an increase than first sought. In the 1990's, the iCan'ts proposed an annual increase to the Medicare budget of 7%. The cRats wanted 9%. During the following campaign for re-election, the cRats ran numerous ads and commercials portraying the iCan'ts as wanting to kill Medicare with their "budget cuts". It worked, the population in general was not smart enough to get the facts and recognize that they are being lied to. The iCan'ts lost seats in Congress.

Have you ever heard of a budget for a state government or for the US Government that actually went down from one year to the next? I would be shocked if that has ever happened.

Have you ever heard of a social program that had an actual budget cut? For some reason, social programs are "off limits" when it comes to cutting things to help balance the budget. They will cut police and fire protection, they will cancel projects to improve the infrastructure or utilities facilities. They may even lay off some workers. They will freeze hiring, stop over-time, get frugal on office supplies, cut travel expenses and prohibit entertainment expense reimbursement. But, they WILL NOT even consider cutting the money being given away in social programs. Why?

Apart from maybe the Defense budget, I would expect that more money is being spent and handed out through social programs than for any other reason by the Federal Government.

Stop and think about some of the social programs and what they must cost each year: food stamps, the WIC program, unemployment, social security, Medicare, Medicaid, cash-for-clunkers, bail-outs of various industries and institutions, down-payment assistance, subsidized loans, no-interest loans, guaranteed loans, insured loans, foreign aide, school lunch program, tuition assistance, Pell grants, free medical care, more foreign aide, various tax credits, Earned Income Credit, child care deductions, first-time home buyer rebates, did I mention foreign aide, environmental rebates and credits, etc.

I am not saying that we should not have any of these, but the costs are staggering, and my point is that they can never be reduced once they are on the books. How many times have you heard of unemployment benefits being extended? Have you ever heard of them being brought back to where they previously were?

We are developing a society where dependence upon government for our basic needs is becoming a reality. They have their hand in all of our pockets and then turn around with a handout that has strings attached. They cannot give you anything that they first did not take from someone else. A benefit to you, from the government, is paid for with money that someone else had to earn. The Government has taken on the role of a Robin Hood. "Take from the rich and give to the poor." Charity is one thing, but I do not see that our elected officials are that charitable. They have ulterior motives for their generosity with someone else's money.

The "Why?" can be answered with two concepts. First, they will not cut a social program because there are so many recipients that they are afraid of losing votes. They increase benefits in order to gain votes. In other words, they are using our money to buy votes and power for themselves. Second, there are stings attached to taking money from the Government. It is not free! You may not see the strings or recognize them, but they are there. One of the main strings (devious motives) is to develop a dependent populous. They want us less self-reliant and more dependent on them. As mentioned in other posts, it is all about power and control - over us, by them. Each time we surrender a bit of our self-reliance over to government dependence, they gain a little more control and power over us and assume a role of dictating more details of our lives.