Quote Originally Posted by bu villain View Post
Definitely agree that we need to restructure our debts so that we can afford them and minimize the pain but if we don't increase the debt ceiling before make those changes (raising SS age etc) then there will be a lot of pain immediately and it will not be done in a way that most people consider fair.
Which is exactly what the GOP has been asking for. A way to reduce the deficits and eventually debt by overhauling the programs that drive it. SS and Medicare along with defense are what drive the deficits. GOP wont touch defense, Dems wont touch SS and medicare. So we are left with little fringe slowing in growth and zero cuts. The so called Sandy relief bill has more pork than relief in it.



Quote Originally Posted by bu villain View Post
It's not just welfare spending. It's all the government spending including debt interest, military salaries, immigration enforcement, employee salaries, etc. You could end unemployment insurance tomorrow (UI maxes out at less than 2 years, not sure where you got 4 years from) and still not get close to making all the payments on everything else. We need to cut spending but it needs to be done in a smart way, not just in a cut all cash flow and let the chips fall where they may manner.
No, its not just welfare spending. Its every program and agency. HHS could hire 50K fraud investigators and pay them 100k a year to investigate medicare and medicaid fraud and the US would save $10 for every dollar spent on them. Will it ever happen? Hell no.

Who came up with this idea that if we dont raise the debt ceiling the US will have no money? As I already explained, the US has around 6B a DAY coming into its coffers. All of our debt would be served, there would be no default. All of the SS checks would go out and clear. All of the medicare bills will be paid. Where the cuts will come in is in unnecessary programs and agencies. DHS can go away and take the TSA with them, there is 110m a day in savings. The Dept of Ed. can go away and take their 300M a day budget with them. Congress wanted 17B in pork in the Sandy bill. Thats is 50M A DAY over the next year. How many billions a year to go colleges for research? Its great for everyone involved, but we still dont have the cash.