House Set to Debate Paul Ryan's 2012 Budget

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Will it ever be possible for Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill to confront, in budgetary discussions and debate, our outrageous spending on "National Security"? I'm beginning to wonder why it is they just won't do more than pick around the edges of our annual $1 trillion (and always growing) expenditure on that grand collection of five: National Defense, Homeland Security, Nation Building, Veterans Affairs, and Foreign Aid designed to gain the cooperation of other countries. We spend more than the rest of the world COMBINED on that quintet, and we do so all because we project our power everywhere in the world, ending up in intervention after intervention, even outright wars.
Just how much spending is necessary on National Security? Enough to assure that we remain intervener-in-chief and retain top dog status at a time when we're the world's biggest debtor nation at $14.5 trillion and running an annual deficit of $1.5 trillion? Or just enough to assure that we have a strong National Defense? There's a huge difference, you know, particularly when we're showing eagerness to attack dreaded "entitlements" without doing the same with National Security, expenditures on which have been growing ever since the years following WWII.
Whatever the nature of the debate in the House, you'll not hear anyone comparing our spending on National Defense with China's, I'll bet. And that's because they spend just 18% of what the U.S. does on it per year--the country holding much of our national debt! You'll also not hear such tidbits of information like the fact that we outspend Great Britain 50 to 1 on Intelligence. Quite an extravagance for a country trying to cut spending!
Being SuperPower on call seemed tolerable enough when we were flush, running budget surpluses instead of huge deficits. Those who favor a strong America, like me, owe us all an explanation of what it is our government is up to in outspending the rest of the world COMBINED on National Security. They owe us an explanation of why foreign policy decisions have accumulated over the years to be one of the big drivers behind our national debt.
Do you think any of what I've just said will be part of what we'll hear in House debate?

Ron W. Smith of UT 4:01PM April 14, 2011

mr. ryan,s plan is little more than a ponzi scheme.to offer a senior citizen a voucher to purchase healthcare and wish them good luck is at best insane,and at it,s worst cruel.
the ryan plan is geared toward protecting the interest of the well off in our society prue and simple.

bruce b of NV 5:17PM April 13, 2011

Ryan proposed a new Republican Insurance Program for Seniors called Rest In Peace- R.I.P. This plan ensures Seniors will get only the healthcare they can afford. Don't worry there is a R.I.P.(B) for those who can afford it. This stands for Raise Insurance Premiums for the Bandit's bottom line. Seniors, don't forget to thank your Republican Congressman R.I.P. and R.I.P.(B) !

LossOfGravity of NJ 8:14PM April 12, 2011

I stand behind the party of Big Ideas.
Republican Big Idea #1: Raid Iraq & U.S. Treasury to wreck the Economy.
Republican Big Idea #2: Refuse to Raise Debt Ceiling to wreck the Recovery.
Republican Big Idea #3: Replace Medicare so Seniors get Rationed Healthcare (Death Panels?)
What to do for an Encore? Bring in the Tea Party!

LossOfGravity of NJ 7:43PM April 12, 2011

No kudos to someone who just tosses together a financial plan with no true basis in fact or theory. Also - NOT worth debating at all.
The budget was balanced in 1998 - during the Clinton years. Why?
1. Tax revenues were pre-Bush cuts and giveaways - $300 Billion/yr
2. DEFENSE spending was half a TRILLION a year lower.... $500 BILLION/yr.
3. No Department of Homeland Security @ $75 Billion/yr
4. Medicare expenses were lower pre-Bush legislation $100 Billion
These things alone are ONE $$TRILLION we can cut immediately!!!!
See - this Progressive/Independent can really cut!!!!!!!!!! Without hurting students, old people, the handicapped, or the unemployed. How hard was that? It took a paragraph - that's all. Ryan talked and talked but never prsented anything that would really work.
Ryan voted for the stimulus, TARP, the donut hole in Medicare, and the bridge to nowhere.
Boehner said that not raising the debt ceiling would be cataclysmic les than a decade ago - but now he is promoting it????? FLIP FLOP ---- FLIP FLOP
Let's see if ANYONE in the GOP/TP has the guts to suggest $200 Billion in cuts to defense spending, or a return to taxes paid by the wealthy or corporations. These are the only things that would realy make a difference..... They don't care really about any of it - just want to please the rich folks paying for them to stay in office.
Cynical and UN-American.

DeeToo of SC 7:28PM April 12, 2011