Sunday, August 07, 2011

Sunday Musing

I've been thinking about the S&P downgrade of the US credit rating, and I've been doing a little reading, and it seems that what I believed earlier is basically correct, with one important caveat.

It's time for the US Government to start saying no to some people. Entitlement spending needs to be cut, and certain persons need to be weaned from the government teat. We don't have to do it today, but we need to do it over the next few years or risk another downgrade, or series of downgrades. It's becoming increasingly apparent that we're no longer able to afford those people who can't take responsibility for their own problems.

I'm not talking about cutting off the old folks, I believe that someone who's worked all his life should be able to draw the Social Security he's paid. I am talking about the neer-do-wells that we've been supporting over the years. Why, for example, should someone believe that if they have a child next year they are entitled to have any government assistance? Free or subsidized housing? Emergency room visits? No, that's your child. You pay for it. Free or reduced price school lunches? Not happening. He's your kid, you feed him.

We don't have to do this tomorrow, but we've got to do it. It's going to be hard, but we simply cannot afford to subsidize people who won't learn to work, to study for a trade, to learn to take care of themselves. It's tough, but it's the only way to avoid further financial problems.

This graph from Heritage.org gives us the magnitude of the problem we're facing.


During last week's budget crisis, entitlements were off the table. We talked a lot about discretionary spending, but entitlements were off the table. After the bills were passed and the President signed them, we got the downgrade. This morning, the President of Standard and Poor's, David Beers told Fox News Sunday that the downgrade was based on rising debt. Our entitlements are on auto-pilot and eventually we'll not be able to afford them.
Even with the debt limit agreement passed by Congress, he said, "the underlying debt burden of the U.S. is rising and will continue to rise over the next decade."
That's what we need to tackle next. Entitlements.

Again, I'm not talking about the old folks. I'm talking about the poor folks who refuse to raise themselves from poverty. We've got plenty of education systems, plenty of trade schools, plenty of opportunities for people to take responsibility for themselves. If they refuse to join the American experiment, there is no reason that we should subsidize them. Let 'em starve. I've got no money to waste on them.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

A big first step would be close our borders. If you have to use the military so be it. Then send all the illegal’s back to where ever they come from. No free anything for folks that are illegally in this country. Arrest and fine the companies that employ these people. That should open up a lot of jobs in the private sector. Then get the ones that feel working people owe them something off their rears and to work. Every person over 18 and under the age of 65 that is drawing a government handout check and is physically/mentally able to hold a job would have a job or be in school. If they were given a job or in school they would have to be there to work/learn and not act a fool....Act a fool at work/school and your check gets cut off. I think that would be a good start.

J said...

"Let 'em starve. I've got no money to waste on them."

That's mostly children you're talking about, Pawpaw.

Anonymous said...

With DNA we should be able to figure out who the father is to these kids. Its time they "Man Up" and pay for their childrens welfare. If they are made to work, money comes out of their check first for their childrens health care, food, housing and education. My wife and I both worked our rears off to do thoes things for out kids. What makes them think I should pay, pay, pay for their kids. Two kids and good old Mom doesn't know who the Dad is it "tube tying time."

Anonymous said...

Hey J
what happens when there is no money? What happens in a few years when the entitlements drain the coffers of money. There won't be anything to give to the po liddle kiddos then!
PawPaw is right...there isn't going to be a neverending supply of money. Now is the time to wean the buggers off the teat. Now is the time to reduce or at least not add any more dependents.
If we say it is for the betterment of the children; then we could get some reduction in spending.

Steve

J said...

Welcome to the Fourth Reich USA.

Pawpaw said...

Naw, J. We can do this without being mean to anybody. If you look at the chart, we've got a decade to get it done. But we've got to start now, educating people that the US can't afford the largess we once afforded. Then, we've got to start cutting at the easiest spots, reducing the economic burden of supporting people who won't support themselves.

We didn't get into this mess overnight and we're not going to get out of it overnight. But, in ten years, Medicade could be a thing of the past. As could the Departments of Education, Energy and HUD.

Termite said...

J said...

Welcome to the Fourth Reich USA.


OK, Goddamn it, stop it with the Godwin $hit.

Junior,
Nobody reasonable wants to starve welfare kids. But apparently about 85% of them have parents that are either cracker white trash idiots, or dumbass ni**ers.
And I'm tired of paying for their f***ups. And I didn't get a free ride. I WORKED my way through high school and college. It took me 5 yrs to get a 4 yr degree.
Give it a rest. And, no, I ain't a Republican. Hell, I been a registered Independent since 1987.