The last three weeks

For several weeks the nation was involved in a debate centered on the topic of the National Debt.  Some in the main stream media have called the end of the partial government shutdown a loss for the Republican Party, a waste time, and harmful to the nation.  If the American people have not decided to become more informed on the failings of congress and the state of the Nation’s fiscal house then I guess I can agree with their summation.  I believe, However, it is never a waste of time to bring to light the ills that need to be healed.  Our government for more than 5 years now has not passed a budget.  We have run fiscal yearly deficit of over $1 Trillion for at least that same number of years and the national debt will soon top $17 Trillion!  The problem with the last few weeks is the talk was not all about Budgets, Debt, Deficits, and Fiscal Responsibility.  Now that again is in my opinion the fault of the Media as well as the Republicans but I hold to the notion that it is never a waste of time to try and bring the debate to the people and discuss the things that need to be fixed. 

The Budget, The Deficit, The Debt

So, what we are being told is that the 432 members of the House and the 100 members of the Senate, along with the President; for several years now have been unable to agree on a budget, that too much debt ($17 Trillion + and counting) is not good, and that running Trillion Dollar Deficits every year is not a way to reduce debt.

In the State of Utah where I live, the week following the Government shut down, new unemployment claims surged by 7,000.  I am one of those fortunate souls.  If you take a moment to read back through my posts here you will be able to garner several things:

1.        I am a conservative, constitutionally minded, advocate for change in our
              government.

2.        I think most of the American Electorate, (The People) are simply ignorant
             when it comes to politics, government, and economics.

3.        If the American people do not re-educate themselves, and change their
             government, in the end the US and the world economies will suffer
             greatly.

4.        I do believe that a better America is worth fighting for and that true
             change, by the will of the people, can be accomplished. 

In one day, if 533 Idiots do not raise the Debt Ceiling the U.S. as a nation will experience many harsh realities and people around the world will suffer.  Let us not make any mistake about who is at fault here.  While it is very evident that our elected representatives hold the smoking gun and have their fingers on the trigger, it is our fault that our nation is here at this place now.

We have been here before, the debate about budgets, deficits, and national debt have ebbed and flowed like the tides and we have failed to direct our elected representatives in the matter.  However this again to me is not surprising. I have heard the conversations,

“we can’t cut military spending it will weaken America.”  A good friend of mine

Echo’s the reporting of the day in 2011 as the debate over budgets, deficits, and debt took center stage.  With 2012 Defense spending at $1.4 Trillion Dollars, I think that cuts are very appropriate and necessary.  The task of prioritizing and slimming and cutting out waste should go to the professionals we employ and elect in Washington and the Pentagon and the “this will weaken the US.” BS argument is null because it is their jobs to do what needs to be done with the money provided.

“Changing the retirement age for Social Security is not fair.”  Another good friend

Again echo’s the reporting of the day back in 2011 when the debate over budgets, deficits, and debt was center stage.  Again, we the people have to wake up and gain control of our senses and our government.  If you are on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid no worries no change for you.  If your 62 well we just moved the goal post, don’t look for partial benefits till your 65, and none of us should be looking for benefits before 70!  If there is great hardship and inability to care for one’s self we should make exceptions and of course there is major reform needed in the system; the amount individuals pay, corporations pay, and the government pay into the fund as well as in how the fund can be used by the government but this must be part of the plan.

I highlight these two areas because they represent the two grate portions of the Nation’s Budget and the two great sides of the chasm that divides the people and their representatives. 

Start with the big things the rest will follow.  Not changing the way we do things will lead to much greater suffering. 

Thanks for stopping by.
Thomas M. Mangum

Government Reform through Constitutional Amendment. The Only Way!!!

What we see going on before us is evidence that what Milton Freidman said is fairly accurate.

 “I do not believe that the solution to our problem is simply to elect the right people. The important thing is to establish a political climate of opinion which will make it politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right thing. Unless it is politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right thing, the right people will not do the right thing either, or if they try, they will shortly be out of office.” (Milton Freidman).

Several months ago, there was a media fire storm about the debt ceiling, some stood there ground and voted for not raising the debt ceiling, others said we always do why wouldn’t we, and those in congress elected to create the “Super Commission”.  Now the super commission is failing to reach an agreement, the automatic reductions in deficit spending are supposed to kick in and cut equally domestic spending and the Defense Department Budget. 

The absolutely insanity that the American People must wake up to is that the proposal for the Super Committee was to find a way to reduce the federal debt of $15 Trillion by only $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years. 

Break it down; that is, reduce spending enough to pay off $1.2 trillion over 10 years.  Or $120 billion each year.  But friends, that is, DEBT, already accumulated debt.  The Federal government at this moment is running a yearly deficit of about $1.56 trillion.

The deficit ads to the debt, so the truth is that to reduce the debt by $120 billion each year for the next 10 years, the government will need to reduce spending by $1.68 trillion or increase revenue by $1.68 trillion more then the total spent $3.83 trillion dollars each year for the next 10 years. 

So how much did we spend in 2011?  $3.83 trillion.

How much did we collect in revenue?  $2.27 Trillion.

For the super committee to reach their stated mandate they must reduce spending or increase revenue while maintaining the spending level of $3.83 trillion.

Reduce spending
$3.83 t  - $1.68 t = $2.15 trillion.  So a budget that must be $2.15 trillion for the next 10 years, while maintaining a total collected revenue of $2.27 trillion.

Or increase revenues over the 2011 total spent + $1.68 trillion. 
$3.83 t + $1.68t= $5.51 trillion.  So a budget that remains $3.83 trillion but revenues of $5.51 trillion. 

What is the most viable option, let us think this out.  When was the last time US total collected revenue was $ 2.27 trillion?  2011. When was the last time US total collected revenue was $5.51 trillion? Never.

So to cut $1.68 trillion dollars from the 2011 budget.  What could we cut?

Wait stop, now that we are here lets talk about the fact that if we accomplished one or the other for the next 10 years, then the Federal Debt in 2021 will still be $13.8 Trillion!

It is painfully obvious to anyone with eyes, and a functioning brain that something must be done.  This is a start but it is not enough and it is clear that we can not count upon the wrong or the right people to do what is right and necessary.

So I propose, that it is time to reform government through constitutional amendment.  But wait, how is it that we gain a constitutional amendment? 

The Constitution, may be ammended through several prcesses;

Amendments proposed by the states in convention or by the states legislatures and then ratified by the states in convention or the states legislatures. 
Ammendments proposed by the Congress and then ratified by the states either in convention or by the states legislatures.

But if we can not count on the federal legislature to do the right thing how do we the people get and Amendment going? 

We must have enough of the population in enough of the states agreeing and motivating the states legislatures to look at a proposed amendment agree to it and ratify it.

This is what must happen. 

Keep watch here for my version of the constitutional amendment that I believe we need.