2+2=5: Let's Cut Spending

So if one cuts the budget by about 42% across the board the budget would be balanced. When we include the fact that we cannot cut interest on the debt, we must cut the budget by about 50% if we want to balance it. So that means that if a person right now is getting a Social Security check of $1,000 it becomes $500. If your doctor bill is $500 a month, paid by Medicare, you now have a bill of $250. This means that we will cut Medicaid by 50%. Cut our troop strength by 50%.  50% of FBI agents will be fired. Unemployment benefits will be slashed. This is what people are asking when they ask for a balanced budget.  

So let’s exempt the Military. That is 25% of the budget. So the rest of the budget will be cut then by 75%. Let's look at my previous examples. So that $1,000 Social Security check becomes $250. You heath care expenses are now $375 a month. 75% of FBI agents will be fired.  

So let’s exempt the Military, Social Security, and medical expenses of Government. That means we will need to cut the rest of Government by 200%. You do the math. When Republican Budget Guru Ryan says that current retirees will not be affected, he is lying. 

I ran across this interesting tidbit as I researched George Orwell's 1984 for tomorrow's post. 

The statement "2+2=5,” used to torment Winston Smith during his interrogation, was a Communist party slogan from the second five-year plan, which encouraged fulfillment of the five-year plan in four years. The slogan was seen in electric lights on Moscow house-fronts, billboards, etc.  

The Communist party seized the absurdity and made it into a slogan. I suggest the Republicans do the same. Here is my proposed slogan: "The Democrats think 2+2=6. We Republicans think 2+2=5. We are the better party." I am not comforted.  

While I have personal preferences as to who the next president will be, it may not really matter. A Republican president will raise taxes; a Democratic president will cut spending. Neither of the two major parties is willing to deal with the crisis. In fact one of my fondest hopes is that the candidates are liars. I hope the candidates understand the coming troubles and are saying what they need to say to get elected. My hope is in the dishonesty of the politician. 

Our difficulties which I have been outlining are very severe. We need to cut the budget in ways no one wants. We need to raise taxes, a lot—on everyone.  I wish we had some magical pixie dust to spread over the budget and make everything better. We have no choice. We do not have the money.