$600bn annual deficit.
300 million people.
Everybody, write a check for $2000.
Problem solved.
Better idea:
Subject every spending category to a constitutional test. Bye bye Dept Ed. Hasta HUD.
Even better idea:
GAAP certification.
Best idea:
Along with tax reciept include specifically where you money went. For instance. "Youand 11 others had their money pooled to reprint the letterhead of the Adminstative Offices of the Supreme Court when the acting director was appointed to full director.
In all fairness, the Bush Admin probably did many of the same tricks in FY2005, so they got a bigger hit at the start of FY2006. So they a got a bigger hit at the beginning, and less of a hit at the end.
I'm happy with the $574 billion figure. It's an accurate reflection of how crappy this Administration is. They have been running a bargain basement war after all.
I don't recall this happening in fiscal 2005. If congress had let these payments go out, then fiscal 2006 likely would have been the highest deficit year on record. Why would the encumbants want to battle that at the polls this November?
I think an intelligent law firm could scratch together a class action law suit.
dryfly -- I agree! Once inflation hits 250% the deficit (and indeed, the debt) will seem like a trifling matter. Thank god all our soveriegn debt is denominated in dollars.
Frankly, I'm jealous of all those folks around the world that got to push wheelbarrows of money around just to get a scrap of bread -- this way EVERYONE could be a billionare!
Here are a few other ideas for the administration:
Post-date your checks!
Send a check, BUT "forget" to sign it.
All those "pledges" you made for internation assistance -- screw that, it's missle defense time!
I can set you up with a nice IO ARM on both the White House AND the Capitol.
Good post - which I took the liberty of linking to over at Angrybear. Of course, our favorite troll ala Bush cheerleader thought he'd correct us by reporting the smaller unified deficit. Stupidity or mendacity?
winjr posted
"What in the world would be the stated reason for Congress to suspend Medicare payments for 9 days at the end of the fiscal year?"
This will delay paying billions of dollars of health care payment from this fiscal year until the next which effectively lowers the deficit for 2006! However, it's just a shell game since 9 days worth of extra bills get paid next year. Look for an even larger number of days of stop payment next year unless there is some miracle and the deficit is much lower.
ac, the increase in debt is smaller than in 2005 as a percentage of GDP - and IMO that is usually a fair measure.
In '05, the National Debt increase 4.5% of GDP. In fiscal '06, 4.4% (we don't have Q3 GDP yet, so that is an estimate). I'd call that an insignificant difference.
Ok, if the debt picture is improving (not as bad as 2004 anyhow) and we forget about the tricks, what area(s) does the government identify as the budding star that is 'going forward', leading the nation to a balanced budget?
Do they even go through the motions or are they hiding in the bushes hoping that the numbers do their magic?
just wait till growth comes to 0, profits and housing prices fall ... most of taxes revenues come from corporate profits and states erly heavily on the property tax ...
I work for the Feds and have the "G Fund" as a part of my 401K. The "G Fund" is all US T-bills, notes and agencies. Interest is accrued and can be viewed on a daily basis on the TSP webpage.
Since early September, the "penny-every-three-or four-days" interest has become a "penny-every-five-days" interest. Gee, what's up with that anyway?
Not paying your bills and relying on accounting tricks doesn't make the fiscal situation better; it just makes it look better in the short term.
In politics the short term is forever. Eternity is the 'next election'.
$600bn annual deficit.
300 million people.
Everybody, write a check for $2000.
Problem solved.
Better idea:
Subject every spending category to a constitutional test. Bye bye Dept Ed. Hasta HUD.
Even better idea:
GAAP certification.
Best idea:
Along with tax reciept include specifically where you money went. For instance. "Youand 11 others had their money pooled to reprint the letterhead of the Adminstative Offices of the Supreme Court when the acting director was appointed to full director.
You would think this kind of crap would generate some mainstream media coverage wouldn't you?
The insanity just keeps coming.
What in the world would be the stated reason for Congress to suspend Medicare payments for 9 days at the end of the fiscal year?
Babies can't write checks.
There are about 120 million households in the U.S. So every household cut a check for $5000 and we are even for 2006.
I would like to see a graph of the change in debt since FY2000. Instead of starting from zero each October.
In all fairness, the Bush Admin probably did many of the same tricks in FY2005, so they got a bigger hit at the start of FY2006. So they a got a bigger hit at the beginning, and less of a hit at the end.
I'm happy with the $574 billion figure. It's an accurate reflection of how crappy this Administration is. They have been running a bargain basement war after all.
AND he is supposed to be a fiscally conservative president !!. The man has no redeeming qualities what so ever
I don't recall this happening in fiscal 2005. If congress had let these payments go out, then fiscal 2006 likely would have been the highest deficit year on record. Why would the encumbants want to battle that at the polls this November?
I think an intelligent law firm could scratch together a class action law suit.
AND he is supposed to be a fiscally conservative president !!. The man has no redeeming qualities what so ever
But maybe if we look at this number in different light it isn't so bad... adjusted for inflation & currency valuations for example.
In '2008' dollars this deficit might just be 'no problem'.
Sometimes you have to look at the 'bright side of life'.
dryfly -- I agree! Once inflation hits 250% the deficit (and indeed, the debt) will seem like a trifling matter. Thank god all our soveriegn debt is denominated in dollars.
Frankly, I'm jealous of all those folks around the world that got to push wheelbarrows of money around just to get a scrap of bread -- this way EVERYONE could be a billionare!
Here are a few other ideas for the administration:
Good post - which I took the liberty of linking to over at Angrybear. Of course, our favorite troll ala Bush cheerleader thought he'd correct us by reporting the smaller unified deficit. Stupidity or mendacity?
How does the national debt look as a percentage of GDP now? Up or down this year?
winjr posted
"What in the world would be the stated reason for Congress to suspend Medicare payments for 9 days at the end of the fiscal year?"
This will delay paying billions of dollars of health care payment from this fiscal year until the next which effectively lowers the deficit for 2006! However, it's just a shell game since 9 days worth of extra bills get paid next year. Look for an even larger number of days of stop payment next year unless there is some miracle and the deficit is much lower.
ac, the increase in debt is smaller than in 2005 as a percentage of GDP - and IMO that is usually a fair measure.
In '05, the National Debt increase 4.5% of GDP. In fiscal '06, 4.4% (we don't have Q3 GDP yet, so that is an estimate). I'd call that an insignificant difference.
Best Wishes.
Ok, if the debt picture is improving (not as bad as 2004 anyhow) and we forget about the tricks, what area(s) does the government identify as the budding star that is 'going forward', leading the nation to a balanced budget?
Do they even go through the motions or are they hiding in the bushes hoping that the numbers do their magic?
just wait till growth comes to 0, profits and housing prices fall ... most of taxes revenues come from corporate profits and states erly heavily on the property tax ...
I work for the Feds and have the "G Fund" as a part of my 401K. The "G Fund" is all US T-bills, notes and agencies. Interest is accrued and can be viewed on a daily basis on the TSP webpage.
Since early September, the "penny-every-three-or four-days" interest has become a "penny-every-five-days" interest. Gee, what's up with that anyway?