I Could End the Deficit

[BOP]

I have no context for this post. I don't know if Warren Buffet actually said this or not. Just putting it out there, as found on FB.

Warren Buffett, "I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election. The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.
I am asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.
*Congressional Reform Act of 2019*
1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.
3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 7/1/19. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term's), then go home and back to work.
If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.
THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!! If you agree with the above, pass it on.

 

[SamSpade]

The problem with this is, we’re way past this. Mandatory spending - Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security - plus Defense and interest on debt - already engulfs all of the revenue per year - we’d be over budget even if we cut EVERYTHING else.

 

[vraiblonde]

I don't know if he actually said that or not, but if Congress had to pay a heavy price for overspending and wasting our money on stupid sht, I guarantee you it would stop. As it stands they get *paid* by lobbyists and special interests to waste our money, grease palms, and take kickbacks.

 

[vraiblonde]

The problem with this is, we’re way past this. Mandatory spending - Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security - plus Defense and interest on debt - already engulfs all of the revenue per year - we’d be over budget even if we cut EVERYTHING else.

You have no idea what is really needed for "mandatory spending". Up until a few days ago sex changes for Guatemalans was "mandatory spending". None of us have any idea how much money we really need for an effective military because there's so much waste and theft. It was all over the internet other day that the ****ers are stealing money meant to *feed* military personnel.

That's a leftwing talking point - "Oh it doesn't matter if we spend recklessly because we already can't afford to exist " That's ridiculous. DOGE is already finding all kinds of money pissed away and they're barely at the tip of the iceberg.

 

[SamSpade]

You have no idea what is really needed for "mandatory spending". Up until a few days ago sex changes for Guatemalans was "mandatory spending". None of us have any idea how much money we really need for an effective military because there's so much waste and theft. It was all over the internet other day that the ****ers are stealing money meant to *feed* military personnel.

That's a leftwing talking point - "Oh it doesn't matter if we spend recklessly because we already can't afford to exist " That's ridiculous. DOGE is already finding all kinds of money pissed away and they're barely at the tip of the iceberg.

When I mentioned mandatory spending - I meant JUST those three. Because that’s how they define it. More than half of all revenue is JUST those three. 75% if you just include those three and interest.

I’m not using the term to mean “you know, stuff we gotta have”. I meant entitlements whose funding is required by law.

Which is why we always run a deficit. DOGE would have to find over 2 trillion every year. Or find another source of revenue. Like more taxes.

 

[gemma_rae]

When I mentioned mandatory spending - I meant JUST those three. Because that’s how they define it. More than half of all revenue is JUST those three. 75% if you just include those three and interest.

I’m not using the term to mean “you know, stuff we gotta have”. I meant entitlements whose funding is required by law.

Which is why we always run a deficit. DOGE would have to find over 2 trillion every year. Or find another source of revenue. Like more taxes.

You meant just those three? Well, let's count that up Sammy.

Mandatory spending - 1 Medicare, 2 Medicaid and 3 Social Security - plus 4 Defense and 5 interest on debt

Sure looks like 5 to me. And you should be embarrassed that you don't even consider that medicare and Social Security are not spending, it's already our own money, additional money workers paid the gooberment to take care of us in our old age. It's our damned money and it's not supposed to be used for anything else!

Al Gore said so!

 

[vraiblonde]

DOGE would have to find over 2 trillion every year.

Why do you think that's impossible considering what they've already found and they're finding more every day?

And AGAIN you have no idea what actual *mandatory* spending for SS/Med/Med is because there's a ton of fraud and waste in those programs.

So since in your opinion it's hopeless, should we just fold the country right now and call it a day? "Sorry folks, lights out. Have a nice life somewhere else." If we can't possibly pay for all the things we "need", then we should just shut down the whole country and be done with it, right?

 

[vraiblonde]

You meant just those three? Well, let's count that up Sammy.


Sure looks like 5 to me. And you should be embarrassed that you don't even consider that medicare and Social Security are not spending, it's already our own money, additional money workers paid the gooberment to take care of us in our old age. It's our damned money and it's not supposed to be used for anything else!

Al Gore said so!

What he's saying is that after SS/Med/Med there's nothing left and we should all just go crawl off and die because it's hopeless. And it's pointless to try and curtail reckless spending because since we're all gonna die anyway it doesn't matter. Might as well give another 8 or 12 billion - hell, make it a trillion - **** it, make it $100 trillion - to Ukraine, right?

 

[gemma_rae]

What he's saying is that after SS/Med/Med there's nothing left and we should all just go crawl off and die because it's hopeless. And it's pointless to try and curtail reckless spending because since we're all gonna die anyway it doesn't matter. Might as well give another 8 or 12 billion - hell, make it a trillion - **** it, make it $100 trillion - to Ukraine, right?

After you commented:

Why do you think that's impossible considering what they've already found and they're finding more every day?

I believed Sam would discourage DOGE from looking even deeper to find even more egregious and foolish waste.

I don't dislike Sam but I do think he is much more dependent on government money than he should be.

 

[vraiblonde]

I believed Sam would discourage DOGE from looking even deeper to find even more egregious and foolish waste.

Well...I mean...we don't want to make anyone mad.... Also the bartender went on Tik Tok said Elon Musk is an idiot.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

That's a leftwing talking point - "Oh it doesn't matter if we spend recklessly because we already can't afford to exist " That's ridiculous.

That was your response to me the other day when I mentioned I was worried the haste would cause a data leak, you know oh well the data was already leaked.

 

[gemma_rae]

Well...I mean...we don't want to make anyone mad.... Also the bartender went on Tik Tok said Elon Musk is an idiot.

It is my firm belief that said bartender would do anything to have a child by Elon Musk if he would consent to IVF.

 

[GURPS]

These were 2011

THE VOTE PUMP​

EAT THE RICH!​

 

[SamSpade]

You meant just those three? Well, let's count that up Sammy.

I can count. The big three - Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security - they amount to around 2.5 trillion. Revenue is a bit over 4.5. Interest is about half a trillion. Defense - because however you look at it, we have to have it. Maybe not 750 billion. But we still have to pay them.

It’s not a matter of it’s our money. It all is. The taxes we paid. But your FICA taxes are just tossed in a pile. It’s not waiting for you.

 

[SamSpade]

Why do you think that's impossible considering what they've already found and they're finding more every day?

And AGAIN you have no idea what actual *mandatory* spending for SS/Med/Med is because there's a ton of fraud and waste in those programs.

So since in your opinion it's hopeless, should we just fold the country right now and call it a day? "Sorry folks, lights out. Have a nice life somewhere else." If we can't possibly pay for all the things we "need", then we should just shut down the whole country and be done with it, right?

No. We should minimize the deficit each year until we can balance it. It’s impossible to do the first year.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Pretty sure that's just some Facebook bullshit. Congress participates in SS and has the same healthcare as other government employees.

 

[Kyle]

Long way to pay down the deficit, perhaps the debt, will be to auction off the vital organs of every democrat Congress persons, their staff, and their bureaucratic lackeys.

 

[vraiblonde]

That was your response to me the other day when I mentioned I was worried the haste would cause a data leak, you know oh well the data was already leaked.

You understand there's a huge difference, right? Here, I'll spell it out:

"Oh no! The government might get my SSN and address!"
The government already has your SSN and address. Hamas has your SSN and address. That cop who killed an innocent woman in an alley? He has your SSN and address. The hacker kid screwing around has your SSN and address. All those IRS people Biden hired? Yep, they have your SSN and address.

vs.

"Oh no! I'm way way way over budget! I'm so over budget that I might as well not cancel my Netflix subscription because that's only $20. And eating fast food every night is only $150 a week so that's not really going to change anything. My gym membership is $100/mo but I have to be healthy, right? Restaurant lunches are only $100/wk, that's not even a dent in what I need to balance my budget. Drinks out on Saturdays is only $50. And I need clothes for work so I look successful - that's only $200 a month. I WILL NEVER EVER BE ABLE TO BALANCE MY BUDGET!! I should go shopping to make myself feel better...."

Also everyone thinks they're so important. "OMG, Elon Musk might get my phone number!!!" Because you are such a superstar that's exactly what Elon Musk wants - your phone number. He's just digging and digging specifically to find *your* phone number. You are *that* important. Out of 330 MILLION people in this country, he wants *you*.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Also what is balanced, as we all know Clintons balanced budget turned out to be bullshit when you dig into it more.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

You understand there's a huge difference, right? Here, I'll spell it out:

"Oh no! The government might get my SSN and address!"
The government already has your SSN and address. Hamas has your SSN and address. That cop who killed an innocent woman in an alley? He has your SSN and address. The hacker kid screwing around has your SSN and address. All those IRS people Biden hired? Yep, they have your SSN and address.

vs.

"Oh no! I'm way way way over budget! I'm so over budget that I might as well not cancel my Netflix subscription because that's only $20. And eating fast food every night is only $150 a week so that's not really going to change anything. My gym membership is $100/mo but I have to be healthy, right? Restaurant lunches are only $100/wk, that's not even a dent in what I need to balance my budget. Drinks out on Saturdays is only $50. And I need clothes for work so I look successful - that's only $200 a month. I WILL NEVER EVER BE ABLE TO BALANCE MY BUDGET!! I should go shopping to make myself feel better...."

Also everyone thinks they're so important. "OMG, Elon Musk might get my phone number!!!" Because you are such a superstar that's exactly what Elon Musk wants - your phone number. He's just digging and digging specifically to find *your* phone number. You are *that* important. Out of 330 MILLION people in this country, he wants *you*.

You know damn well I'm not worried about Elon musk having my info, I'm worried about him leaving the door open and you are smart enough to know the difference. I hate hypocrisy by both sides, especially the side I usually agree with.