Tammi's World

The Budget

Ok - the President is calling for some pretty tough cuts - program cuts, spending cuts. AND it's not going to be an easy sell.

I think we can all agree that spending is a bit out of control. Where we disagree is the why and how to fix. That's part of the polorization that is tearing this country apart.

I have a very elementary take on economics. I believe in capitalism. I believe in a Free Market Place. I believe in a helping hand NOT a hand out. There is No Such Thing As A Free Ride. Period.

I haven't had a chance to really study the proposed budget. I'm sure there are things in there I won't like, as well as things I agree strongly with. It's like that with any budget. Think about it - when you sit down at home and figure out what you can and cannot do, are you ALWAYS happy? Do you always get everything on your "wish list"? If you do - good for you. I know for me, there are always wishes left over......they get moved to the "dream" column. And I'm not thrilled about that, but it's life.

I was so excited when I heard a blurb this morning that showed the President explaining that from now on - a program must show it's results. If you want to set up a program, set goals, document and track and then show the results. It's called accountability. It's a WISE way to run things. This bit of throwing money at a problem and just hoping it gets better is NOT the way to handle things. It's the only way I know to make sense of all things economic.

It's simple really - for every action there is a reaction. If we set up a program, we have to have a desired effect in mind - a goal. So.....if you have a goal, layout the stps you intend to follow to achieve that goal. Then, you better track or monitor those steps, the results. Is there a real improvement? What other issues are coming to light BECAUSE of these steps? What is the long range effect? Those issues need to be looked at on a regular basis. Then, just like in business - review the results. Both short term and long term. If you aren't any closer to fixing the problem then rethink the solution. THAT'S Accountability in the economic sense. At least IMHO.

I'll be interested in seeing the proposed cuts to education. This is something I feel pretty strongly about. I believe that we need to invest in the education of our children. It's one of the best ways to insure our future. But these programs that have been in place for ever, that are no longer effective, that no longer HELP need to be rethought. They may even need to go away. That's economics.

And Social Security? It's been around for approx. 70 years. No changes in the program. Times have changed. The world has changed. It's time to review the program, make some changes or else we're going to lose it at some point. It's no disrespect to Roosevelt or what he accomplished. It's called modernization. It's past time.

Yeah - there is going to be plenty of gnashing of the teeth and pulling of the hair. Some peoples paychecks will be effected. That's economics. This is NOT a socialist state. There should be No Free Rides. And President Bush understands that. That is the main reason I voted for him in '02. I liked the idea of a businessman running this country. Remember, back than the economy was one of our biggest concerns.

I'm not wealthy. Not by a long shot. I've never had a break. Hell - I tried to get assistance once, way long time ago. I know what it's like to choose between gas and food. I know what it's like to sit in a dark house because you just don't have the money to turn the power back on. I've lived on rice and beans. I paid my way through college - after I gave up my scholarship there was no aid. If I want something I work for it. Plain and simple. I believe we should have programs in place to help people when they get in a tough spot. That's what a community is about. BUT....I've heard people brag that they've never seen an electric bill or paid a dime in rent. Neither did their parents, and with any luck neither will their children. THAT didn't go over too well, let me just say that. I believe in student loans, but I believe they are LOANS and must be paid back.

Yeah - the Battle of the Budget is gonna get ugly. Pure and simple. But I think our President is ready for it. I have to say - from what I've seen and heard, it makes sense. It's not fun, it's not pleasant. But it makes sense. I'll just be very interested to get some more details.

I'll just end it with a phrase that's I believe in: If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got.

Hmm...just think about that.

Posted by Tammi at February 8, 2005 08:31 AM