In the early 1900s, a scholar of public budgeting asked a simple question, "On what basis shall we allocate X resources to program A rather than program B?" It seems that a basis no longer exists and we simply deficit spend becuase our government has forgotten that financial resources SHOULD BE limited and are limited in the long term. The solution today appears to be "borrow more, spend more" all in the name of security, terror, and political gamesmanship.
I read recently that Bush is asking congress to spend $1.9 Billion on border security and my first thought was, "wow, $1.9 Billion, I wonder if it would be better allocated elsewhere say...cancer research, I am sure finding a cure or better treatments for cancer would save more lives and money than securing the border? or armor for troops in Iraq, I bet better equipment in Iraq would lead to fewer lives lost? Levees in New Orleans - I bet New Orleans will be flooded again in the next 100 years, why not reinforce the levees? etc. etc."
It appears that our government has totally lost the ability to restrain spending? We decrease revenues (think of the $70 Billion in tax cuts) and yet increase spending (a billion here, a few billion there).
At what point will it stop? Thats my question. Why is no one else pushing the same issue - fiscal responsibility? The real terror facing Americans is an $8.5 trillion dollar debt!! I don't care if immigrants come across the border and work, illegally.
I honestly could careless about gay marriage, immigration, national healthcare, No Child Left Behind, and abortion when compared to poor fiscal management of government policy and programs. People will always disagree about social issues - we have liberals (me) and conservatives (not me) who just hold different values. So politicians will always be able to work that divide. But the real concern is in 5, 10, 20 years when 50% or more of our tax revenue is utilized to service the national debt rather than pay for programs that are needed to solve national problems.
I am simply pissed that there seems to be no fiscal restraint on spending. And although I loathe the idea of a strict balanced budget amendment, everyday I am more inclined to support one.
When will the insanity stop!?